Ashes and Bone (G Sans)
by vixenthief
Summary: The streets are a dangerous place to be for a girl. One woman in particular conceals her identity and lives by thievery. She finds an apartment with a echo flower. Those were expensive. She had a simple plan. Get in, get something nice to sell, and get out. Everything was going great until a tall skeleton and a child stop her and... make her move in with them? M for Mature topics
1. Chapter 1

Ebbot city. Grease, smoke, and pollution is the only words that would use to describe the mass of clumped together buildings. Towers of concrete stand high into the smog. This was the dystopia they lived in. When monsters came out from the mountain, some things changed. Both good and bad. Their technology was cleaner and slowly, after the years go by, the smog vanished. Some humans were fine with them but many more didn't. They had to begrudgingly accept them into their society.

Just more racism. That was normal for humanity. Always sneering at things they do not understand. Standing over the streets was a figure in rags. Their orange hair hidden mostly by a grey beanie. A white long sleeved shirt fell around their body like a trash bag, concealing whatever gender they could be. Baggy cargo pants covered in dirt and ash. These clothes were not uncommon for one such as themselves. A person who dwells in the alleys and streets.

Night was falling upon the city and it was time for her to begin the prowl, searching for objects of value like a scavenging rat. Anything for her to be able to buy food and some better clothes. It was mid-fall and the weather was getting colder and colder. The human needed some jackets and blankets... both they need to buy unless they finds ones that were thrown out. Oh the joys of street life. The human jumped off the roof and slides down a drainpipe to land in a cold and damp alley. Under ruined boots, was a pile of dust.

A monster had been killed here. A pale hand scoops up the white powder and drops it into a small box, writing 'icecap' on the lid before closing it. The poor creature was attacked by a gang. Slaughtered in cold blood. It didn't feel right to leave the remains. It also didn't feel right to watch but they didn't have a choice. They were to weak to fight off a whole group.

After dropping off the box at the embassy, which looked like a courthouse, and writing the details of the event all over the cardboard sides, the human leaves. Their job begins now as the sun sets completely. As they walked around, a nice looking apartment complex caught their eye. On the third floor were potted echo flowers. Those things were expensive so whoever lived there must be rich. Rich enough to spare a few objects and not notice them.

The human gets a running start, the momentum carrying their feet up the wall just high enough to drab the bottom rails of the first balcony. They climb up to reach the second balcony. It was a struggle as the iron bars dug into their bare palms. They weren't smooth and round like the human was hoping. This better be worth it. Landing with a soft thud on the protruding concrete, they look around. The echo flowers were swaying in the light breeze. Through the clear glass doors, there was a visible living room. A very neat and cozy one as well as disappointingly normal.

But they still need to search. Taking a hair pin and thick needle from their pockets, they begin to work on the lock. It was going good so far. Door unlocked, no interruptions while climbing, everything was fine. Just one thing from this apartment should be needed. That was when the human spots it, an open box with a shiny gold heart locket with a ruby embedded at the center. It was beautiful and probably worth a lot of cash in a pawn shop.

Snatching the box up, they shoved it into their pocket and hurried to the door. But it was locked. How could that be? They picked it themselves and their wasn't a crim trap when she checked like the doors with handles on the outside only. Panic rose just as a low gravelly voice drawled behind them. "Hmmm. It seems a stray got in the house."

They whip around to come face to face with a very tall skeleton. They were short themselves but this monster towered higher than any human does over them. A single yellow eye glowed in the darkness, looking right through them. A crack travels up his skull from the right eye bridge and the same

happens in reverse for the left eye. His hands had holes cut out in the palms. He was holding up his right and pointing at the door while it glowed with a yellow light.

"what's wrong little stray? cat got your tongue?" Was he seriously making cat puns right now? "so..." He leans forward and smirks. "how about you get your paws off of what doesn't belong to you boy." His voice shifted into a growl that made it hard to disobey. So, reluctantly, the human hands over the locket box. They turned to leave but the door was still locked. The skeleton grabbed their wrist and narrowed his sockets. It was odd how animated his face was despite being made of bone. "is this… dust?"

Their eyes follow to see that the monster powder had gotten on her sleeves while she was sweeping it up into the box. The single yellow eye seemed to light up more as he leaned closer. "you been killing monsters kid?" Suddenly the door to a bedroom opens, revealing a young child with brown bobbed hair. They stood there in blue pajamas and purple stripes.

The monster was distracted and they quickly turn around, unlocking the door, and leaping off the balcony. The rough landing sent a jolt of pain up their legs but ignored it to keep running. They kept running until they reached the familiar alley littered junction. They find one empty looking gap between buildings and decide to set up camp for the night. What that meant, was just to curl up and hopefully getting some sleep.

As they were just getting comfortable, four shadows came into their line of sight. Through the sleepy haze, they could tell that the shadow figures were four men. "Hey, I thought i saw something come in here."

"A stray?"

"Yeah. Looks like a kid too." A light shined on them from a flashlight one man was holding.

"A kid with a pretty face." The fourth man walks over and grabs them by the wrist. To tired to fight back, they let it happen. "Interesting appearance... Is the hair and eyes natural?" It was obvious that he wasn't expecting an answer since he kept handling her like some new toy. "Exotic. It's hard to tell what you are though. You look like a boy but... your face is so girly."

The first man laughed. "Maybe a tranny or cross dresser." Another set of hands pulls up heir tattered shirt in a tortuously slow pace. Before they got to the chest, the human began to kick and shout.

"Stop!"

"Maybe your a girl after all. That's a rather cute voice you got there." Tears pooled in the corners of their eyes. A hand grabs the beanie on their head and it starts to get pulled. They were weak. These men were strong in numbers and strength. There was no escape. With a final cry, they called for help.

... And someone came.

They were dropped on the unforgiving ground as the four captors fled the alleyway. Whoever it was that arrived scared them off without effort. But now the person would see them in a horrible state. Pants unbuttoned, shirt riding up to reveal the bottom half of chest wrappings, and long and uneven bright orange hair was sprawled out beneath her head. Ice blue eyes were dull as they tried to get their bearings. This human who was a woman. Not a young boy as they were able to pass off as, but a petite adult female.

"gee alley cat. i wasn't expecting this when i tailed ya." The gravelly familiar baritone made her tense

up and curl into herself. She must look so pathetic to this man right now. She didn't have the strength to push away as he picked her up in his arms. Surprised that he was handling her gently as if she was a porcelain doll, she looked up. He noticed the movement of her head and looked down at her. "better thank the kid when i get home."

"Why?..." The woman lifted her hands in silent words, they shook from the remaining fear flowing through her system.

"because kitten, they just saved your life."

She was quiet the rest of the he set her down on the dull brown couch in the living room, a small body slammed into her. A face of innocence stared up at her dirt covered one. Brown eyes meeting ice. This kid looked to be at least nine, maybe ten. Why were they crying. Hearing a cough, she looked up to see the skeleton eyeing her while lighting a cigarette. She rose her hands to sign. "Thank you..." Seeing the question in her eyes, the child answers.

"Frisk!"

They suddenly hugged her midsection and froze. "Sans! Why she so small here?" Without warning, the kid lifted her shirt to see er stomach, or the where it should be. She was thin from hunger and her ribs were showing and there was a cavern like dent where a belly should be pushing outwards. Hers were shrunken. Even if she tried to eat big meals, her body would reject more than half of it. She wasn't anorexic but maybe in a few years she would be. Her body will start eating itself alive, the fat disappearing like the fluid inside an IV sack. Eventually she will be only skin and one.

She blushed and grabbed the hem of her shirt to yank back down. The skeleton, she now knew as Sans, tilted his head. "malnutrition kid." He answers the child's question and chuckled at their blank look. "she doesn't eat a lot so she got really thin." The kid looks back up with a worried expression and then the monster. "Keep her!"

The woman blinked, startled from the order.. "you sure? it's not good to bring in mangy strays." Now she was being insulted. She isn't an animal despite the running theme of cat related phrases he's been using.

"Yeah! We can feed her, help her get better,. She not mangy, she just needs a lot of care to look nice again."

"Do I...have a choice?" She asked quietly.

The child just grins. "Nope!"

"forget about convincing them. they're very determined. anyway, the kid needs to get to bed before school. you sleep on the couch but only if you bathe. i don't want that dust on my furniture." He points at her sleeves. "you still haven't explained that."

"There was a gang... near my alley where i slept last night. They killed an Icecap. After they left..." She tries to keep her hands from trembling too much. "I gathered the dust into a box and took it to the embassy. I wrote the name and what happened on it before leaving." She coughs again.

"why?" He now looked perplexed and confused and perhaps a little appreciative.

"He might have family waiting at home. If I had family, i would be wondering what happened. A human's body can be found...A monster is scattered to the wind and forgotten. It's worse to not know

what happened, if their alive, if their kidnapped. The worst scenarios will run through my head and haunt me." She looked down.

Sans sighed and walked by, ruffling her tangled orange locks. "well. i guess your not so bad alley cat." She hissed at the nickname that seems to be sticking, only making the skeletal monster laugh. She huffs and leaves to go to the bathroom. To take her first shower in years.

...

When she got out, she wrapped a towel around her body and stood before the fogged mirror above the sink. A pale hand wiped away the cloudy layer but froze upon seeing herself. There was someone she hardly recognized staring back. Her hair even brighter after being cleaned, skin no longer smudged and covered with dirt. Under her right eye were three black dots. Birthmarks. Her air was odd. Her bangs were straight with a slight sideways curl to the ends and the long uneven locks behind her parted as it fell. Kind of like two low ponytails without being bound by any ties.

She hears a knock at the door and nearly jumps out of her skin. Ahe quickly hides behind the shower curtain to conceal herself. Sans stood in the door frame with some folded clothes. "i don't have any clothes other than mine and the kid's, and i doubt you can fit theirs."

She grabs the clothes and he respectfully leaves to let her change. It was a a single large red sweater. the arms were so long on her that the cuffs were floppy pieces of cloth. She looks at herself in the mirror again and snickers. She was dwarfed by the shirt, making her look like a child wearing her father's shirt as a nightgown. Sans turned around and chuckled.

"shrimp." The human woman glared at him and crossed her arms. Sans took on a different expression as he looked closely at her. "so... you sign, like your mute?" When she nodded, a hand slammed into the wall beside her. Her pale eyes widen as he grips her chin, lifted her face to keep eye contact. "no lying. i'm only keeping you here because the kid sees something in you. i have yet to be convinced." He leans back and his face becomes relaxed again. "so i suggest you don't lie the next time i ask you a question."

Nodding her head quickly and watched him leave. Her body slides down the wall as she releases a breath that she never knew she was holding. That guy was so unpredictable. One moment he was her victim, then savior, and now her watcher. She sits down on the couch and sighs. If she leaves, the kid will find her, and she'll be watched constantly if she stays. She runs a hand through her damp hair and growled just as Frisk walked into the living room just as she laid down on her side.

The child smiled and climbed up onto her sunken stomach, curling up in the yellow fuzzy blanket they had brought with them. "Name?" They ask while nuzzling their face into her borrowed sweater. It was cute. Her arm came up to hold them still so they wont roll off. Her fingers trace letters on Frisk's back. They giggle but still concentrate. "Jacinda? That's a pretty name." She traces another name. "Jace too? Oh I get it." They look up and smile but do not ask anything else.

Frisk fell asleep against her body which Jacinda cradled the blanket wrapped child into. Her eyes drifted shut as they kept getting heavier. Looking at an echo flower beside the sofa, she couldn't help but think of how beautiful a field of those luminescent blue flowers would look like. Monsters were lucky in that aspect. They had this place called Waterfall and Snowdin which she heard stories about. Walls that looked like the night sky and forests blanketed by snow.

She had never seen snow in person. Only in movies. As her consciousness drifts away, she imagines the world from the stories. Frisk's breathing lulling her into a dreamless rest.


	2. Chapter 2

"You gonna eat right?"

The child asks as Jacinda tossed three flat tablets into her mouth and drank them down. G, as she decided to just call him because he preferred it, was watching her. She felt bad about not eating any of the lovely smelling breakfast laid out on the table. Most homeless people would kill for this type of meal. But she was unable to. She simply shrugged while pocketing the pill bag. "Just did."

Frisk looked confused but continued to scarf down their pancakes and bacon. She gets up and grabs her beanie from her couch bed and started to tuck the long bright hair into it. When she walked over to the balcony, a voice called out.

"we're going shopping after the kid goes to school. if you're going to be a new charge, i can't have you wearing that as your only outfit."

"But-" She began to sign.

"nope."

"You don't need to-"

"yes i do."

She growls. Being in someone's debt was not what she liked. Because some people liked her to pay up on it immediately. Yet here she was, about to ask yet another favor. She rose her hands hesitantly. "I need to go back to the alley." G rose a nonexistent brow but nodded without question. She smiled and tuned back to jump over the balcony rails.

"wait, you mean now?!" He shouted just as she land. She laughed and started running. When he appeared in front of her, she just smirks before jumping, grabbing his shoulders to use as a vault. He repeatedly tried to catch her but she got to the alley without much delay at all. G flashed in front o her again, his breathing heavy despite not having lungs. "the hell jace? how can you move like that."

The woman smiled though her eyes seemed to darken. You wouldn't want to know. She signs nothing as she bends down to a loose brick in the wall and starts sliding it out to reveal a hole holding a bag. Her belongings. She checks to make sure everything was there. Pill bottles filled with supplements, a few bottles of water, a 22 caliber pistol, and her dog tag necklace. She takes the necklace and slides it around her neck. The familiar feeling of cold metal against her collar bone was an odd comfort.

Her eyes were stuck on the firearm for a second too long before she closed the bag and slipped the straps over her shoulders. G was lighting another smoke when she walked back to him and one person caught her attention. It was an old skinny man with grey shaggy hair and short beard. His clothes were like hers. He used the wall to keep himself upright as he approached. G tried to step in front of her but Jace ran forward the rest of the distance between them and wrapped her arms around the man.

"Oh my little Cinder. I thought I lost you last night." She could hear the tears in his croaking voice. This man was a father to her. "I am so happy you are safe." Jacinda nodded and kissed his cheek before stepping back. She gestured to G and signed his name.

Sans nodded and held out his hand. "I'm Sans but you can call me G."

"Are you taking her in?"

"yeah"

"Thank you so much. She deserves to be off these dangerous streets." He sounded like a father telling her goodbye before college. It filled her with a warm feeling. The old man dismissed himself after a few more thank yous. Jacinda sighs when the man disappeared. 'Good bye dad.' She whispered in her head as she swiped away some swelling tears. G held out his hand for her and she grabbed it. One moment they were there and then the next, they were back at the apartment.

She stumbled to the wall and groaned. G smirked at her and puffed out a cloud of smoke before dropping the cig and smashing it beneath his boot. Well it was nice to know he had the decency to never smoke indoors. Especially if he was caring for a kid. For some reason she felt protective over the child. Something about Frisk just made her feel important. Why would they want to help her. The wind blew trough her tattered clothes and chilled the exposed skin of her neck.

The skeleton walked into the apartment and grabbed what looked like a wallet and his cut off jacket. Frisk was following happily behind him. Such an odd contrast there was. Here he was, rocking the whole edgy bad boy look, raising a kid who resembled the embodiment of pure innocence. How had this arrangement came about was beyond her ability to imagine. Actually she can imagine a lot of things...none were very nice so she simply shook those possibilities away.

Frisk leaped into her arms and she stumbled backwards while quickly wrapping her arms around them. She maneuvered one arm up to sign. "Easy kid. I'm not very strong. I'm just skin and bones right now." She used her eyes to gesture at G a few times, causing the kid to snort. She positions them on her back and looks up to G. "Are we going to their school?" She asks him.

He nods and grabs her shoulders before they ended up warping to the front of a building. She felt woozy again and she stumbled to the side. A groan escaped her. "yeah. teleporting is a bit weird the first few times." The building was one story with a rectangular structure. Such a simple design.

So nostalgic.

She placed frisk down and watched as they ran through the gates. Her eyes watched all of the human children greet their friends and say goodbye to family. Jacinda...felt normal. Watching them. Humans. They were all humans. Nothing was odd about any of them. Normal eyes. Normal hair. Normal birthmarks and blemishes. A tightening in her chest made her looks away. "ready to go shopping?"

Her only reply to him was a groan.

* * *

Knock knock.

She sighs at the repeating sound and a cheesy joke.

'i'm starting to think you dislike these jokes."

He knows she can't speak. Well... not normally. Slipping on a blue tank top and white shawl over a pair of jeans, she glanced up at the mirror. Clean clothes. For once she is wearing clean and new fresh clothes. She cringed at how anorexic it looks due to the snug fabric. She sighs and grabbed a different outfit. A baggy sweater two sizes bigger than herself. Another double knock sounded at the door. She swaps outfits before stepping out. G gave her one look before laughing. "you look like you're wearing a trash bag. wear the other stuff." Ugh...well at. least he's honest

"I'm too thin to wear any of that. My stomach isn't even existing and my ribs show." She signs flippantly while huffing.

The skeleton looked at her, expression serious. "let me see."

"What?! No!"

He seemed to catch himself and his face became tinted with yellow. "the other outfit. just have fun. girls are supposed to like dressing up right?"

She sighed in relief, knowing that she simply misunderstood. "I do. But I never did before."

"not even as a kid?" He asks.

Jacinda clenched her jaw tight and entered the changing room again. She puts the tank and shawl back on and stepped out while also placing a wide brimmed hat with a red ribbon around the base on top of her head. She hid her face behind the brim by tilting her head down. Gee this was all too new to her. She heard hard clapping sounds from in front of her. "you really got my hopes up. i was expecting to see actual ribs showing." He pouts, or what looked like pouting. His face may be more animated then a realistic skull but expressions lied mostly in his eyes.

She glares and hugged her waist to hide the ridges showing through the cloth over her sides. He looked down at her stomach. "and that is only flat a bit sunken in but that isn't something food won't be able to change. now go try on more stuff." He shooed her with one hand as he goes back to... whatever he was doing while waiting.

The many styles came and went as they looked for what suited her most. So far she bought baggy flannel shirts and blue jeans. While they passed some windows, she froze at an outfit she saw. A faded red , long sleeved, shirt cut off to show the stomach. Black flames lined the hem of the sleeves and shirt. on the chest was a dragon tattoo like design. The pants on the mannequin were faded green cargos. Her favorite kind of pants. This was followed by very comfortable looking boots that seemed built for running. Shaped like hiking boots but were clearly not as heavy duty in material.

G laughed at her, making her snap out of her daze. "you like that?"

"No..." She signed quickly and tried walking away. The outfit was so well made. Far to expensive for her to want "hey lady, how much for that bundle?" Wait, WHAT!? She whipped around and grabbed his arm, shaking her head profusely. 'c'mon jace. you gotta be brave." When he said the last word, she got a feeling she missed out on a joke.

So she was now in the dressing room, wearing the expensive outfit, hair down like in the other stores. The cargo pants had just as many pockets as her worn ones. The boots were as comfortable as they looked. Because of her torso size, the bottom of the crop ended just bellow her icky rib showing skin. There was a sports bra type undershirt coming with it because the outfit was known for catching wind. It was meant to be rather breezy anyway. She touched her slightly sunken belly and cringed. Hopefully he was right about food helping with it.

Knock knock.

A small laugh left her lips and she knocks back. 'i'm taking that as a who's there so, Yellow."

Yel-low-who she knocked three times for the syllables.

"yellow? anybody in there?" She opens up the door and he steps back to let her out. "well? do you still

wanna say no alley cat?" He juts his thumb towards the mirrors hanging on the walls. Wow... She looked completely different. So this is what expensive clothes felt like to wear. She saw that G's face was slightly yellow again. Most likely because his magic was that color. Monsters are made of it.

She smiled slightly and shook her head. She wanted this and he was willing to buy it for her. The sense of guilt started to form in her chest. He also told her to wear the outfit. The cashier was fine with it. She follows the skeleton to the checkout and they began walking down the street afterwards. They were done shopping so she was curious as to why they were walking if he can teleport. She tapped his arm to het his attention before signing. "Are you unable to teleport?"

"yeah. m' hands are full so i can't bring others with me. could drop the bags off but..." He looked at her and then at the numerous alleyways.

"I will be fine. I may not be strong but i can outrun many." She flicked her hand through her hair to give a mocking of cockiness but she truly was confident i her abilities. She had to be in order to survive. On the streets and in that place.

G chuckled and flicked her forehead. "Guess that's something we have in common." He takes her bags and adds it to the ones he had before vanishing all together. She steps into the closest alley and leaned against the wall to get out of the way. Her hands trailed the dog tag chain around her neck. The carved letters and numbers made her stomach churn.

FIORA-EX-12

ELR-2

Time slips by slowly. She wondered what was taking the monster so long. Suddenly there was a loud sound.

The sound of a gunshot.

* * *

Sans dropped the bags and looked at the one he had slipped off of her. Her hidden bag. His curiosity and paranoia got a hold of him earlier while they were at the changing stalls. He wanted to know what little belongings she had and was surprised to see mostly supplements. It made him wonder if her body rejects normal food because of the. Then he had seen the gun. A pistol.

He suspected that it was used for self defense. To make sure it was real, he unties the bag again. The gun was not there. When did she take it out?

A sound in the distance made him jerk his head up. A gunshot. From the direction he left her at.

He snaps his fingers and sees the alley. There she was, staring up at the ceiling across the building she ad her back to. Her expression was...unnerving. Her ice blue eyes were as cold as the color, dark ginger eyelashes lowered in boredom, and her face lacked all emotion. Right beside her head was a smoking black spot. So SHE was the one being shot at?

"what happened?" He asked cautiously. The human turned her head and her eyes shifted to one look of amusement.

"Hunters tend to lose their cool when their prey is staring right at them." She signed, her lips turning into a sly grin so unlike the timid. modest person from before he left. She seemed to slowly come back to her normal behavior through the rest of the day while he helped her unpack and sort out her

closet. But now he was left with more suspicions and one big question.

What the hell was that?

* * *

Hello? Hope yo like this update. Jace is trying to get used to this new life. Stay tuned and every review fills me with DETERMINATION!


	3. Chapter 3

The smell of smoke woke her up in a start. Cold sweat clings to her skin as she tries to get her bearings. Frisk is perched on a kitchen bar stool, looking over at her. Their innocent brown eyes blink a few times before the practically flew out of their seat and tackled the orange haired woman back into a laying position.

"Are you Okay? You look scared."

Her hands sign slowly. _"Why do I smell smoke?"_

"Oh! G is on the grill making sausage!" That explained it. There was no fire. She sighs and gets off of her bed couch. Frisk skips back to their seat. She dresses in red and black flannel open shirt over a grey tank top. She fetches up a pair of blue jeans when she hears a cough.

G was standing in the living room now with a plate of grilled meat while his other hand held up some tongs. He was giving her a look that was both of shock and disapproval. "Do you normally change out in the open?" Jacinda leveled him with a look that said 'what do you think'. When that registered, he chuckled. "In front of kids?"

"I turned away!" Frisk chimed in.

"not the point." He sighed and placed the plate down. Se noticed his outfit. Today he wore a muted forest green, pinstriped sweater that had the sleeves rolled up to his elbow joints. Brown colored jeans that make is legs look long and slim followed by darker brown boots. His navy blue jacket was replaced by a grey apron with yellow letters stitched across his chest. Awesome Sauce.

...

Jacinda covered her mouth as she held back a snicker. But it only got worse. As G started mixing the pancake ingredients, he turned to Frisk and pointed the whisk. " _Batter_ be careful kid, this stuff is sticky." Another snicker. The skeleton picked up a strawberry and looked thoughtful. "Hm. It's _tart_ to come up with breakfast ones." The puns continued back and forth between the two until she just couldn't take it anymore. The orange haired girl started laughing, the sound husky and dry from not using her voice.

She couldn't stop laughing and eventually tears pricked at her eyes. She hugged her sides as she looked up to see them staring at her with wide sockets and brown eyes. G leans back on the counter, smirking. "Well now. Looks like the cat can meow after all." He mused while serving the food on plates. Jacinda manages to calm herself since the puns and jokes have ceased. She glares at him but all he does is shrug. The bastard.

Grunting, she signs exactly what she thought to him once Frisk turned away. He laughs at her and ruffles her hair. As she ate her breakfast, she watched her two hosts. Frisk was getting ready for school again while G was fixing up a small meal. The kid was about to leave but was grabbed bu the collar and dragged back inside. "kid, you can't leave without shoes and your lunch." He helped them but on their black and white sneakers before tossing a dark violet lunchbox into their arms.

Frisk hugged his legs and then ran over to her, placing a kiss on her cheek and running out. Jace brought her hand up to touch the spot, her face feeling warm all of a sudden. _"We are not walking them to school?"_

"not today. a friend is doing it. she is capable of protecting the kiddo. i have other plans for you." He closed one socket in a lazy wink.

 _"Plans?"_

"i want to introduce you to some friends of mine. i can't be your only contact if something happens." She nods, standing up to take his hand. At this point, she had already adapted to how he was prone to teleportation than walking. His other had brought her head towards his chest , or ore like upper abdomen, so she couldn't see. Which he didn't have... What was her face against? There should be empty space here.

Before she could ask, there was that familiar floor dropping lurch. Her stomach swims in circles but it isn't as bad as the first few times. When he pulled back, she was in the middle of a warm bar. Or is it a dinner? The walls and floor are made of light brown wood. The walls being a shade darker. Tables were scattered about the room and booths lined the walls on the left and right. The back held a bar. There wasn't any electrical lighting around so she didn't know how everything was lit up.

G lead her towards the bar and they both sit down. There were both monster and human patrons here so she assumed that this was a friendly environment. The bar went above her chest once she sat down. Everything was a bit bigger than human things. Monsters were naturally larger than humans. Even more so from her perspective. She was not small. Not really. She was just less than average height.

Smaller, thinner, less wind resistance. Small targets are harder to aim for. Easier to move and dodge.

She needs to stop the train of thought immediately when something very war and bright fills her vision. Fire! She tensed her body, prepared to flee, hand whipping out to grab G's wrist. "hey relax jace, grillbz ain't gonna hurt ya. he's a real chill guy, which is funny considering."

"Ha ha. Very funny Sans." A warm crackling voice greeted her ears. It was soft and hushed, just a little over a whisper.

"c'mon pal, you know i don't use that name anymore. but the others can't seem to drop it either." He grumbled, not truly sounding upset at all.

"How could I forget? Well, who is your friend?" She felt a hand cover hers and she looks down to see that she was still gripping G by the wrist to the point that her knuckles turned white. She eased up but still didn't move.

"this is Jacinda. me and the kid took her in as our pet." He smirked at her when she glared at him. "easy alley cat." She huffs and lets him continue explaining. "anyway, we are taking care of her even though she tried to rob us. Frisk sees something good in 'er."

The man on fire, made of fire, tilted his head. He was dressed sharply like human bartenders. Glasses were perched where his eyes should be even though she could not see his nose or even a mouth. How was he communicating? Then again, G never needed to open his mouth to speak. He always had that lazy smirk which showed a row of teeth since he had no lips to hide them.

"Well the Child is usually right with their judgment. They were taught soul sight by the Queen as well." The flame flickered as he turned his head to look at G. They seem to have a silent conversation between each other before the question for food was asked. "What would you like miss?"

Her ice colored pools look at the menu in front of her. Fries were light and easy on the stomach so she ordered a small plate of them by pointing at the words and illustration. If her knowledge was right, monster food didn't require any normal means of cooking. Grease would make her throw up everything she had this early in the recovery. A glass of water was set down by a waiter before he shuffled away.

A water boy, that was funny. G got up and gestured for her to follow. She was lead to a booth where two dog monsters sat together. One who was obviously female had a large swelling of the midsection. She was pregnant. Both dogs were white but their fur was slightly different. The female had curly fur on her ears and a delicate curled piece of fur that resembled bangs on her forehead.

The male was more scruffy looking. The tips of his longer bangs were black and some fur grew into a goatee type thing under his chin. He was wearing a black muscle shirt and camo patterned cargos. She can appreciate his style. Was he military of some sort? They sat closer when they saw her approaching but relaxed at seeing her companion.

"yo. ressa, dogamy."

"Hello G. Who's the human?"

"They smell strange."

Jace grunts but doesn't sign anything, not knowing if that was an insult or simply a blunt observation. G placed a hand on top of her head. "just someone i'm looking after from now on. i'm just introducing to new friends." She looks to the pregnant dog and gestures to her belly while signing "How long?"

"Oh. Seven months now. I'm happy to finally start a family up here."

 _"Were you waiting for the surface?"_

"Yes. The underground was no place to bring a child into. Too little space." Grillby came back out with their food so they return to their seats. She picks up a fry and nibbles it. She `was correct about the lack of grease. The warm fire magic swirled in her mouth until she swallowed. Warmth filled every part of her now. She felt a hand on her head again. Jacinda looked to see that G was smiling down at her. "like the food?"

She nods and tilts her head up to nudge further into his hand. He chuckled at her and ruffles her bangs, "you really are like a cat huh?" Her only response was a halfhearted glare as she ate some more fries. A TV was playing above the bar on mute suddenly had sound when the breaking news channel interrupted whatever show that was currently showing.

 **Breaking news. A man has been found dead in Ebbot city. Cause of death, gunshot to the brain. A store owner got a complaint about a smell in the attic by one of his employees. The smell was coming from the dead body later found on the roof. No suspects or eye witnesses. Victim's time of death was yesterday. More information will be provided later.**

G stares at the scene being displayed and then looked at her. His expression was unreadable. He leans forward and finished his burger. "let's go home now alley cat." He pulls her towards him and waves to the fire elemental. "put it on my tab grillbz." The lurching feeling returned. Now they were back in the apartment. G stepped back before strolling into the kitchen.

Something tense filled the air and she was about to ask what was wrong when the skeleton spoke up. "so where's the pistol?" He leans against the counter, crossing his arms. His face no longer holding the kind look from before. "i know you had one."

Oh... so that's why. She sighed and easily signed her reply. _"I took it out of the bag. Like my necklace, it is comforting to feel it on me. I ran out of my last bullets a few years ago and that is why I had kept the gun packed away."_ She smiles and lifted a couch cushion and took the weapon out of its hiding place.

"no need to hand it over. next time tell me if you have something dangerous. there's a kid here after all." Her head lowers like a scolded dog as she stuffs the firearm back into the couch. She sits down and grabs her blanket, wrapping herself up into a cocoon of warmth and soft cloth. Jacinda only had her head visible now while G sits beside her, turning on the TV. "movie?"

At her confused look, he rose a brow ridge. "you know what a movie is right?"

Her hands were unable to wiggle out of their tightly wrapped prison. She bit her lip, worrying at the skin a moment before. "I...never seen." She murmurs hoarsely. Her throat was not used to using words. G turned his head quickly, surprise clear in his socket that held the golden ring. She says nothing more and tries to turtle into the blanket. He scrolls through the movie titles until nudged his shoulder with her head, making the screen stop on Tinkerbell.

He chuckled at the choice and entered 'play'. She watched the screen intently. The birth of a fairy was pretty thing to see. The first laugh of a infant. She laughed quietly at how goofy the tinkers were as well as the other fairy friends. There was no way she was going to admit that she was fighting tears round the end though. Tinkerbell being different was a struggle but when she was shunned, that was too much. A tear indeed escape. Of course there was a happy ending and she was happy that the special Tinker found her purpose in life.

G was about to turn off the Netflix when she saw that the entire Pixie Hollow was there. She thumped her head against his shoulder repeatedly and kept repeating on croaky word. "More, more, more."

"well we still have an hour, so one more and that's it. your like a child. how old are you anyway?"

Hm...she didn't know the answer to that. nineteen? twenty? maybe even eighteen. She never had birthdays to keep track. They watch the next movie, Lost Treasure. She didn't tear up at all because it was much more upbeat and centered around adventure. The movie ends too soon for her liking and G turns off the TV. "let's go." He helps her up and this time she knows to close her eyes even before he holds her close so he doesn't smother her face.

They were back at the school and Frisk looked to be talking with some friends. One who was a monster with no arms that resembled a dinosaur and another who was a blonde girl wearing a green dress. Frisk noticed them waiting and ran over. "Jace! Jace!" It still baffled the woman that this kid was so trusting.

She didn't deserve it.

Her hand was grasped by a much smaller, much more delicate and softer one. Her own hands were scarred, calloused and rough. Nothing like the ones of a child or a woman of normal living. "We should go get Nicecream! Icy sells it in the park." She looks to G to see if it was actually okay. He was the parent figure after all. When he nodded, Frisk broke into a run. They dragged her along until the sidewalk splits, leading to a large green area with typical benches and trees.

A blue furred rabbit with curly bangs and big smile stood by a food cart. It was pretty clear that this was what the kid wanted. A ringing cellphone brought her attention away to see that it was G's.

"hello? yeah i just picked them up...now? yeah okay." He hung up and looked right at her. "i gotta help a friend out, think you can watch the kid?" When she nodded he leaned forward. "if anything happens to them, you're gonna have a bad time." His yellow eye flashed before he vanished.

Jacinda kept forgetting that she was still not trusted by him yet. He was good at acting nice but when it came to giving her some kind of task as important as this, he is always able to put her in place. As if she wanted to step out of line in the first place. She didn't want to hurt Frisk in any way. Said child cae back to her side with two nicecream bars.

She sat down on a bench and licked the cherry flavored ice. Frisk didn't even savor their treat before running off to play with some kids. She took the time to listen to the nature all around her. Chirping birds. water from a artificial stream, and wind rustling through leaves. She was never able to come here before. A harsh sound broke her out of the peaceful calm and she glared at what made it.

There, not to far from where she sat, was a group of individuals. In there hands were bats and crow bars. They seem to be crowding around something. With a look around the park, she couldn't find Frisk. Those people have them.

Jacinda drops her nicecream and hurries over, pushing through the ring until she was standing in front of the child. A growl rumbled in her throat as she bared her teeth. "Hey! Girly, you better leave if you know what is good for you!" One shouted. A male. He looks no more than a teenager. Such a stupid age. Without a word, she signs for Frisk to leave and run for Grillby's.

They obey and when one man tried to follow, she grabbed his shirt collar. "Let go of me you bitch!" Now that was uncalled for. She smiled sweetly before pushing off the ground and swing forward with her legs to shove his face into the dirt. She knows she can't hurt them much but she can at least stall for Frisk.

Another enemy tried to grab her to which she responds with a roundhouse kick to the gut. Her eyes flick left and right, counting how many there were. Suddenly arms grip her own from behind. "Hah! Gotcha. Wonder why the skeleton left the kid alone with such a weak girl. But hey, at least it's a pretty one." Not this again. Filthy human males. Her anger seethed and boiled from within like lava inside a volcano. And like a volcano,she explodes. He jaw locks onto the offending arm and her sharpened canines sunk into the skin.

The iron tang of blood pooled on her tongue as her captor rips away, releasing his hold on her. This seemed to startle them but she was not done. They dared to hurt someone who has willingly put their trust in her. They don't deserve to be let off easy. Her body lunged forward, hand grabbing at the throat of a man holding a crowbar. "AAAAAH! IT BURNS!"

"What burns?! There isn't any fire."

He was unable to respond as he clawed at her arm trying to make her let go. She does however, but only to block the hit from a metal bat. A crack sounded from impact and she falls back, hitting her head on the concrete path. The sound of other people shouting reached her ringing ears. One voice in particular reached her clearly.

"Jace! Jace! Hurry Sans! She's hurt!"

Consciousness came and went but her senses were somewhat intact. She can feel arms lifting her, the lurch of teleportation, the give of a couch cushion. The sounds of metal clanking in a kitchen or little feet running back and forth surrounded her. Eventually her body couldn't remain awake and she drifts into darkness,

(Earlier)

After he finished helping Alphys jump start a project in the lab, he was getting ready to go back to the park when his phone rang. Who else needed him. Pressing 'ANSWER' he held it to the side of his skull. "yo."

"Sans-" That was Grillby "- Frisk is here and they are quite frantic to speak with you but they do not have their phone right now." Why were they at the diner? There was a shuffling before the kid's voice came through.

"Sans! Jace is in trouble! There was this big group of bad guys surrounding me and she came to the rescue and now she is fighting them because she told me to come here and-"

"kid, calm down. i'll come get you and then we'll go to the park."

That is exactly what he did but what he saw made him freeze. Frisk ran right to the limp form of Jacinda. Blood pooled beneath her head and more dripped from the corners of her mouth. He shook himself out of his daze and knelt beside her. He needed to check her HP.

His eye glowed brighter as he looked over her. His body froze again. How is this true? He blinked, as if he can change the numbers himself.

LV 30

EXP 28 (humans since they increase LV more than minster death)

HP 2/50

DF 67

ATK 43

-Will protect-


	4. Chapter 4

"Fiora has been very obedient lately."

A female voice.

"Yes. Let's inject her with more of the extract."

A filthy male.

"Just a little more is needed to increase her Effect Level Rating to Two. I doubt she will survive if we push for One."

"Indeed. She will be unable to fight today. The boys should have some fun before the subject adjusts."

"You're disgusting."

The voices fade off. Her mind is clouded by the heat burning through her body. It starts at her arm and it grows. The inferno consumes her like a beast devouring prey. It burns. It hurts. She can't wake up.

She screams for help.

Nobody came.

Nobody ever will.

Happiness is never going to last.

The old man she called father was wrong.

* * *

G looks down at the girl on the couch. Her skin was flushed red and sweat beads on the surface. Her breath was heavy to the point it could be called panting. Frisk fidgets in their chair. "Sans? Will she be okay?"

He checked her stats one more time. They healed her but he understood their worry. Jacinda didn't look so good. HP 40/40. The number change jolted him to his feet. She was loosing HOPE. She already didn't match the other numbers but now it's decreasing?!

CHECK

-is having a nightmare-

A nightmare shouldn't be enough to lower someone's HOPE. He would know. G soaked a rag in cold water before walking over and placing it across the girl's forehead. There was a faint sound of sizzling followed by steam. That definitely wasn't normal. He sets a bowl of ice water down on the coffee table. "re-wet the rag when it gets dry. i need to check something." Frisk nods vigorously and goes to sit beside Jace.

He left the apartment and selected a contact. It was picked up after the first ring. "Hello?"

"yo alph. something came up and you know about human souls just as well as i do."

"W-what happened?!"

"what could make an adult human's HP drop? i checked one before and she had a total of 50 but now it dropped to 40."

"Are you talking about your new ward?"

"yeah. there was a fight and now she seems to be running a very high fever too." He doesn't mention how hot her body was. That sounded a bit bad in his head. "frisk is cooling her down with ice water but it might not be enough."

"I'll see what I can find in the old notes."

"thanks alph."

He hangs up and walks back into the room to see Jace writhing side to side on the couch, her mouth opening and closing as if gasping for air while her fingers claw at her left wrist. Blood was starting to ooze from the cuts. Frisk was panicking. When they see him, they quickly run over and hug his legs. "She kept saying no more and won't stop scratching Sans! I can't get her to stop!"

That is a problem. He hurried to the supply closet and dug around until finding some rope. He picked up the girl and brought her to his room, tying her hands on opposite bed posts so she wouldn't bring further harm to herself. He felt a cold stare at his back and he looked to see Frisk giving him a disapproving look.

"This looks dirty."

"shut it brat."

They only leer at him. "Pervy G"

"that isn't what i'm doin' and you know it!"

"What would Jace think when she wakes up? Hm?" Why the hell is this kid being devious right now of all times?! This kid... He levels them with a glare. A pained hiss brings them back to the matter at hand. Jacinda was pulling at her restraints, growling and clenching her teeth so tight that he could here them grinding.

She was in pain. The nightmare she's having wasn't letting her go and is torturing her. He CHECKS her again. HP 35/35. She lost HOPE again. G reached over to feel her forehead but instead, as if on instinct, she snapped her jaws and sharp canines bit into his had. Red marrow leaked from the cracks that formed. It wasn't too bad.

Frisk whimpered from the doorway. "kid...I think you should go to undyne's for while. jace isn't going to wake from this on her own." They nod and scurry off. He lets out a deep breath when he hears the door shut. "c'mon alley cat. you gotta snap out of it." Her teeth dug in deeper. He froze when he saw that her eyes were open. Open but unfocused.

Jacinda rips the rope and her hands fly to his neck. He would be worried if he was human. Her eyes were so... lifeless. Her mouth had a trail of his marrow dripping from her teeth and lip corners. "Kill." Her voice came out emotionless. "Kill...Target." Her teeth were bared in a insane grin.

G grabs her shoulders and shook her back and fort. "wake up!" Her hands only squeezed around his neck vertebre more. He shoved her to the ground and growled. "forgive me for this." He rose a hand and slapped her across her face. God he felt like scum for hitting a girl. Her body jolted, her eyes widening and the light returned to those icy pools. She blinked, her hands loosening and eventually falling to the floor beside her. The skin of her left cheek was reddening.

She looked around, still in a daze. He hand came up to sign "What happened?" Her face was still flushed from her current temperature.

"you came down with a fever. you had a really bad dream on top of that and the stress isn't healthy." Her gaze found his hand and she bit her lip. "don't worry about this. you have some serious sleep fighting reflexes, heh, i'm impressed."

Jacinda tensed and curled up on herself. "Can...You get off me...please." She croaked weakly. He remembers how he was positioned over her and quickly stands. G watched as she stood up and headed for the bathroom. HP 34/34. Thank goodness it stopped dropping. He winces from the sting he felt in his hand and rubbed his neck with his uninjured one. It was warm to the touch but the extreme heat of her skin during the fight was far from normal. It was almost like Grillby's when he's mad.

"man... that scared me. sent chills down to my bones." He chuckled, albeit weakly.

Jacinda sat on the tile floor, shaking. How could she have done that? She almost killed him. She was trying to kill him. Tears fell from her eyes as she sobbed into her hand. Everything was so hot and blurry. Like a room full of smoke.

Burning. Smoke. Flames.

She shook her head and looked down at her throbbing wrist and hands. They felt to raw and tender. The scratched were already healing too. She pulled herself up using the sink and dug out some bandages. She wrapped both of her hands, from her fingers to the middle of her forearm. A knock sounded from outside the door right before G opens it. "you okay?"

She shrugs and holds out the bandage roll. "Hurt..." She murmurs, pointing to his cracked marrow bleeding hand. He takes it and wraps the bones up, threading it through the hole in his palm. She couldn't look him in the eyes. His hand patted her head in a comforting manner before leaving the room.

They both sat on the couch after that. The silence was heavy and awkward. He most likely hates her after seeing what she could do even if it was a dream clouding her mind at the time. She should leave before she hurts young frisk. Hugging her knees, she curled them up to her chest and hid her face.

"hey... stop moping like that."

...

"come on." He put a hand on her head and she naturally leaned into it. "your fever is still present. you should rest." Jacinda peeked at him to see that he was patting his lap. He didn't seem to be ready to move from the couch so she lays down on her side, head on his lap. She couldn't feel the bone. Something else was filling out his jeans.

Tears prick at her eyes and slide down her cheek. "Sorry..." She croaks.

"don't worry about it alley cat. though i expect an explanation when you're ready to give it."

"Okay..." She curled into an even tighter ball when she felt her blanket from the night before getting draped over her.

"you really are a cat huh?" He chuckled.

Her eyes shut and darkness surrounds her.

* * *

Fire swirls around her. The inferno was unforgiving against her fragile body. Yet there was a coolness pressed against her face. It kept her from turning to ash. She didn't know how long the burning darkness went on. She barely remembered asking for water while the cold liquid drizzled down her throat.

One day she finally did open her eyes. Frisk was there to greet her with a smile. It was as if her fit never happened. The days passed peacefully. Today G wanted to take her somewhere. There was another friend he wanted her to meet. She stayed close to his side as they walked. The autumn weather was getting colder and the wind was hard to block.

She wasn't cold, the wind was just annoying. "we're here. wait out here while i talk to her, aight?" SHe nodded silently and watched him enter. The twinkling sound of the bells inside were cut off as soon as it shut.

* * *

G didn't have to say anything for an owl monster to pear out from the kitchen doorway. "Hey G! What can I do for you?"

He waves his bandaged hand, giving her his usual smirk, sitting down at a table. "do i need a reason to visit a pal?"

Owl walks from behind the counter and stands next to G, "You have a point there. What happened to your hand?"

"got into a little scuffle. no big deal."

"A little scuffle? One second I'll be right back with some feather juice."

He nods and takes out his phone, selecting one of the various mini games he had on there to wait. He settles for the chess app instead something like candy crush. G often competed against Frisk. Maybe Jace would like these too. He hears her returning and sets his phone down.

"Okay! I'm back!" Owl chirped as she brought out two drinks. "Here you go, one feather juice for you, I want to hear what's been going on in you life."

He sighs dramatically. "ugh. where to start." He takes a sip from the drink and smiles at the familiar taste of her magic recipe.

"Hmm anything interesting? Like new things? How's Frisk?" Owl asked G settling herself in to hear a story.

"well we found a stray. frisk insisted on taking it in so we did. then when i left help alphys at the lab again, frisk was targeted by a hate group when i left them and alley cat in the park. luckily frisk made it to grillby's...you following so far?" He rose a brow ridge at his friend.

"Hmmm so you picked up a new friend? Okay... ugh. I hate anti-monster groups. So, who's the new friend?" Owl said before taking a sip of her drink

"a little alley cat." He states, taking another sip himself.

Owl raised her brow feathers "a cat?"

He makes a humming sound before speaking again. "a ginger one with ice blue eyes. quite the exotic." He mused.

"Okay well I'm going to want to see this new cat. What's their name?"

"jacinda. but we call her jace most of the time. if you wanna meet her so bad, she's right outside waiting." He grinned, obviously waiting for her to bring it up. It was his main goal for even starting the conversation. Check and mate. He couldn't help but chuckle at the next thought that popped into his head. Or was is foul play.

"Their outside?! Bring them in! I want to see them!" Owl exclaimed looking out the window to try and see a cat. "I don't see a cat... are you pulling my feathers?"

He twists himself around to face the door. "it's clear alley cat! c'mon in!" The door chimes as Jacinda steps into the bakery hesitantly. She was wearing a black tank under a short sleeved green flannel shirt today. Her hands were still bandaged from her mid forearm down to each finger. "owl, this is jace the alley cat." He had his shit eating grin plastered on his face now, just waiting for her reaction.

"G! You were pulling my feathers!" Owl loudly said to G. She got up and walked to Jacinda and stuck her hand out. "Hi, I'm Owl welcome to my bakery!"

The orange hair girl shrunk back slightly just G stood up. "i also lied about just visiting. asgore wanted to talk about something important." He closed his dark socket in a lazy wink before vanishing like a mirage.

"Hmpf. I hate it when he does that." Owl huffs, folding her winged arms. Jacinda fidgets in place, picking at her bandages nervously. He at least gave her time to get adjusted at the bar. This time was completely different.

Owl slaps a hand to her mouth. "Oh! I'm sorry, would you like something for your wounds? Feather juice? Talon cookies?"

She lifted her hands and started signing. "I'm... okay. We just ate." Did the bird monster know sign? So far every monster did.

"Okay, how's G treating you? Is he being nice?" Owl asked not missing a beat after Jacinda had finished signing.

"Nice after he realized I wasn't going to take advantage of Frisk's kindness." She looked down, a guilty expression crossing her features. "He's also...rather forgiving." She still couldn't believe it. Though she owed him and he was holding her to that.

Owl nodded and gestured for Jacinda to sit. "Most people wouldn't expect that from him. Only his close friends know that, most other monsters are only acquaintances..."

Jacinda nodded and took the offered seat. She looked around the room, her nose twitching as she smelled the scents filling the air. Owl saw Jacinda's nose twitch she gave a small smile. "I thought you weren't hungry? At least let me give you a drink, my treat."

Her face tinted pink and she looked away, her hands moving at a flustered pace. "A drink should be safe."

Owl nodded and stood up. "I'll be right back with your drink. Oh, do you prefer mint or apple?"

"Apple."

"Okay I will be right back."

The girl waited patiently, staring out of the windows. She watches the people pass by on their way to multiple destinations. To think she would actually blend in with them for once. Her life was finally that of a normal person. As normal as it could be with all of her flaws.

She heard Owl return and looked up to see that she was holding glass. "I'm back!" She took the drink and sipped. A gasp escaped her. "Sweet..." Her quiet voice mumbled below her breath before taking a longer swig. Her hands were tingling as well as her wrist where her cuts were.

"I do hope you liked it. Not very many people choose apple flavor. Have you been going to school?" Owl asked picking up her own unforgotten drink and taking a sip. Jacinda responded with a confused look. "Where is this confusion aimed towards? The school question or the apple flavor?" One hand came up to spell out 'school'.

"Oh! I'm sorry, if you were living with G, he would've made you go to school am I correct?"

Jacinda tilted her head, placing down her drink to use both hands. "Only the tiny ones go to those large brick boxes to learn don't they? I am also...twenty two." She blushed faintly and looked down at her lap.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry... I thought you were 17!" Owl said embarrassment making her feathers ruffle.

"I know...I'm small... my malnutrition doesn't help me grow either." She manages a faint smile, feeling just as embarrassed.

Owl gave a small sigh, and then smiled wide. "Well, I'm going to have to fix that then! If you ever feel the need, come back anytime for more food or drinks."

Frisk suddenly came bursting into the room. "Jace, Jace! Sans said you were here and you can walk me home!"

"Hey Frisk!" Owl said standing up and giving the small human a hug. They give the monster a big squeeze in return before grabbing Jace by the hand, dragging her out of the shop. Frisk already began their big rant about their school day. She could hear her calling out goodbyes and tentatively waved before she couldn't see the shop anymore.

* * *

A chuckle came from behind the owl. "well that was a success."

He watched the flustered bird whip around to face him. "G! You know I hate it when you do that! It's creepy!"

"ouch. that's a bit fowl of you." He winked with his pun. His head turned to the door with a relaxed smile coming to his features naturally.

"You said Asgore wanted to talk about something?"

His expression turned serious and stressed. "yeah. you saw the news broadcast about the murder right?"

"Yeah, who could forget that?" Owl said walking over to the table that their drinks were.

"it wasn't a gunshot" He leaned back on the wall, is single ringed eye light going dark.

"It wasn't? Were you able to get a good look at it?"

"agsore showed me the pictures he was sent by the police. the body was burned to the point where they are unable to identify the victim. fire magic."

Owl tilted her head. "Hmmm only a few people are able to use fire magic. But you know that of coarse."

"the elementals have never been violent. vulpins can't hurt a fly and neither can the pyropes." He runs a hand down his face. "no monster was there...but i have a hunch on who it is. well... i need to get home to cook dinner."

"Okay well if anything more is needed you know where to come!" Owl chirped.

"sure thing. i'll make sure to...tweet you." He grins at her. "oh and pap is coming to town for the holidays soon!" He runs off before she could throw anything.

He laughed as she heard her squawk loudly. "G!" Owl called, not even bothering running after him. He would just teleport away. But the one thing she did do was send a few feathers at him as payback for the puns.


	5. Chapter 5

Jacinda looked at herself in the mirror and tilted her head to see the twin ponytails tied at the base of her head. The strange split of her hair was a bother so she fixed it. It looked nicer now. She walks out of the bathroom to see G lounging on the couch, watching TV. The news was on again. A story she was familiar with by now. A man burned has yet to be identified. It looked like Frisk had already gone to school.

She sat down and curled up into his side. It was safe here. Always safe. She looked at his bandaged and and then her own. She grasped his and held up in her grasp. G's single ringed eyelight watched as she pressed a small kiss to his knuckles. Her cold eyes melted into a soft and concerned look. "still worrying are you?" She nods.

G pulled her close to his ribs and strokes her head. She lets him. He bring his other hand over to tip her chin up. "hey. no matter what, nothing will happen to you. there is something i want to talk about though." Jace stares up at him with confusion. "the man on the news. the victim. was that you?" Her lips part to say something but instead she averts her gaze and nods. "thought so. you like that outfit i got you?"

She nods and fidgets with one of her long sleeves. Her hands lift to sign. "It was an accident. He fired at me. On reflex...on trained impulse….. I…" Hollowed hands grab her shaking palms. One leaves to stroke her cheek.

"easy there. i understand you come from a dark past. i'm not selling you out kitten." He gives his reassuring smile that always puts her at ease. "you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to sweetheart."

"O-kay." She murmured vocally and hugs around his 'waist'. It was nice to hold someone. Like the old man. There was a hum deep inside his chest. It pulsed. Increased and lessens in a rhythm. Such a calming sound. Her hand rested on his sternum. She whispers under her breath softly as she felt the bone underneath.

G looks down at her. "what's that?"

She sits up and points at his chest. "The bones of the human skeleton." Her voice was soft as usual but lacked the hoarseness. Her vocal cords were getting used to her small moments of speech. "C-can I…. um…. explore." He couldn't help but chuckle at her shy admittance to her curiosity.

"knock yourself out. nobody is stopping you. my friend al got to compare me to skeletal diagram when we got up here."

Jace placed her hand on his head and trails it down the side of his smooth face. He had no cheekbones or mandible. His head was like a human's but with sockets and nasal cavity. His mouth rarely opens. It remains a thin toothy smile. She taps his neck. "Cervical vertebrae. Followed by thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. " Her touches move to his shoulder. "Clavicle. The intersection is what most people call the collar bone." His interest was piqued by how she knew the scientific names for all of his parts.

Effortlessly she continued naming. At some point her mumbles ceased but her eyes flickered over him still. "where did you learn all this?"

"Training." She signed before sitting back. "Any plans for today?"

"nope. what about you? want to do something?" ...Jacinda rubbed her arm and bit her lip. G poked her head. "don't be shy. you ain't burdening me."

"The ocean. I want to see the ocean. But it's far away."

"you really need to learn how to let loose. and in case you forgot." He grabs her arm and pulled her to his body. The world drops beneath them. She closed her eyes to shield her eyes from the bright sun. The warmth was the next thing she registered.

When she opened her eyes, she gasped at the sight before her. The ocean. It was so blue and sparkly. Did it really feel good to swim in it? She glanced at the skeleton who had his arms around her still. He was giving her that look. She doesn't need permission. Reconditioning her mentality will take a lot of effort. He helped her stand up before she ran towards the water.

The second her feet were submerged, a laugh of delight escaped her. The water was so cold but she liked it! She didn't mind that her green cargos were getting soaked as she ran through the incoming tide. Jacinda waded into the deeper areas. A tingling on her bare feet made her look down for her to see something moving. She scoops up the sand and spots a strange creature opening and closing its 'mouth?'

She was eager to know what it was and ran back to the each. Where was G? Her ice blue eyes scanned where they had landed before. Nothing. Panic gripped her heart as she searched the beach. "Hey gorgeous." A male voice called behind her.

She turned around to see a buff human. He smelled of salt water and...lust. Taking a step back only made him get closer. There was no possibility to overpower him. "Don't be like that. Be a good girl and come have a good time." Her hands grab his shirt. "Oh? You want to have fun that badly?" She grinds her teeth. Her palms begin to burn, the cloth charring in her clutches. Burn him. Burn him away until there is nothing left. Jacinda shut her eyes to not see his face getting closer.

No...

Just let him do whatever...

That's what she has always done.

Let him use her till he's bored.

Nobody will come save her.

A voice broke her out of her thoughts. "i'm sorry but this one's mine buddy." strong arms wrap around her chest and shoulders protectively. The fog in her head quieted instantly. "and before you say that cliche insult of her being a monster fucker, i'll go ahead and inform you that i haven't laid a single indecent finger on her." His hold tightens around her.

Her hands let go of the shirt and watched the obviously peeved male walk away. That could have gone so much worse. G turned her around and stared into her eyes. "why didn't you push him away?" He didn't sound angry. Just concerned and upset. She doesn't answer. All she does was reach out and hug him. His hand pats her head gently.

"Where...were you? I was scared that...you...abandoned me. I- I conf-fessed after all..." Tears rolled down her cheeks and raspy sobs shook her body.

G huffed and knelt on one knee. "do you not remember my promise? nothing is going to happen. now, let's get you home." She nods. Now that she was calm, she was feeling sleepy again. Crying was exhausting.

* * *

Beeping could be heard beside her in the white room. She was unable to look. Leather straps hold her down at the waist, wrists, shins, thighs, biceps, neck, and forearms. Absolute restraint.

"Fiora is ready for this week's injection."

The child struggled, her long pale hair, tinted with orange, was yanked back.

"This was the fifth time. Small physical changes have occurred. Eye discoloration, and a change in hair color. It is faint but still progress. Much like Windigo 4 gaining albinism without the side effect of red eyes."

A gloved hand pried the jaws of the girl open. "Canines have a change. Faintly sharp now. Perhaps it will be safe to double the injection amount."

Silence.

"There we go!" The voice was so cheerful. How could this person be so happy? "Now hold still... but of course, you have no choice but to do so anyway."

The needle is stabbed violently into her neck, causing a scream to rip out of her. She screamed as her veins burned, she screamed as her tears dry up, and she screams as her skin becomes scorching hot. Fire was everywhere, fire surrounded her, fire WAS her. And fire... can not be tamed. With another long scream, columns of flames engulfed the scientist wile her hands broke free from the straps.

"Fiora has improved! Hair matching the color of the magic. Her canines are fangs now. A intimidating development indeed!" Why were they not afraid? They should feel fear. They should know her pain. Her small hands grabbed the scientist by the hair. A woman.

She can feel the grin on her face. "You shouldn't have long hair miss white coat! It's too easy to burn!" A wicked cackled erupted from her throat as the fibers of the hair caught fire and burned.

The doors burst open behind her and a gun is being pointed right at her. The child only grins as a tranquilizer dart is shot into her neck.

"Hehehehe...hee...he."

"Fiora 12 has been subdued. Doctor Jones, was it successful?"

"Yes. The subject is ready for phase two."

* * *

Jace opens her eyes. Blinking as she got her bearings. She must have fallen asleep right when they got home. Frisk was sitting on the floor coloring. Reaching out, she made a humming sound to get their attention. The curly bobbed hair child whips around and immediately pounces. "Jace! Jace!"

"What is it?"

"Let's go!"

"Where?"

"To see a friend! He's going to be at the park."

Frisk pulled her to the door. Were they allowed to leave? She was still kind of sleepy. Hm... Trees are comfortable enough. She lets them pull her along until they reached the park. Up ahead was a crowd. A small one of only monsters. Standing above them all was a skeleton. A very tall skeleton with sharper features than G had. He had a scar under his right eye and another on his left cheek. His sockets were smaller and lacked any light yet somehow he seemed very expressive.

The skeleton wore a suit of armor. She scanned the crowd for a familiar face. Jace eventually saw the owl monster she met only once before. Owl or the owl, she was pretty sure it went both ways, nodded to the monster she was talking to while smiling. She looked around and made eye contact with her. "Hey Jace!" She called out.

She waves lightly, her eyes following frisk as they ran into the crowd. Their small body weaves through the many pairs of legs with ease. Owl excused herself from the conversation she was in and made her way over to Jace. "Hey! How have you been?" Jacinda shrugged and decided to turn to show her hairstyle. This was something normal girls do right? "I like the hair!" The monster chirped happily.

Owl reached out and flipped the pigtails up and gave a small laugh as they swung back to hit Jace in the face. When the hair fell away, the girl spluttered while flailing her arms, not knowing how to react. Owl laughed at her and pats her shoulder. Jace signed quickly to Owl after calming down. "That wasn't funny."

"Yes it was. You should have seen your face." She responded, smoothing her feathers down. "Have you met the Great Papyrus?" Her only response was a questioning nod from the ginger. She gasped and quickly grabbed Jace's hand and pulled her to Papyrus. Jacinda squeaked in surprise but allowed herself to be yanked around once more.

"OH FRISK LOOK! OUR BIRD FRIEND HAS ARRIVED WITH A BRIGHTLY COLORED HUMAN!"

"Pappy, this is Jace. Jace, this is Papyrus."

"HELLO HUMAN!" She was suddenly lifted off the ground by metal clad arms and swung around like a rag doll. Laughing, Owl plucked Jace from Papyrus' arms after a few full rotations and sat her on the ground. Jacinda was unable to stand and fell flat on her back from being too dizzy. Her hands rise to say one thing. "Why did this happen to me?"

"I don't know. You just have that kind of luck." Jace gave a soundless scoff before getting to her feet. Looking up at the tall and faintly scarred skeleton. She saw that Frisk was on his shoulder. One shoulder. Like a parrot. And here she thought G was tall.

Owl turned to Papyrus and gave him a big hug, allowing herself to be swung around a few times before being set down. "How have you been papyrus?"

"GREAT! THE UNDERGROUND MONSTERS RUNNING THE UNDERGROUND SHOPS ARE HAVING THEIR BUSINESSES BOOMING AS USUAL DURING TOURIST SEASON!" He puffed his chest out proudly. "AND THERE ARE NO OTHER VIOLENT OCCURRENCES SINCE LAST YEAR!"

"I know! I'm so glad that my shop hasn't been attacked this year! How's the royal guard treating you?"

"ADJUSTING. SINCE UNDYNE HAS APPOINTED ME AS HER REPLACEMENT, THE OTHERS STILL NEED TO GET USED TO ME BEING A LEADER. WHEN DO YOU PLAN ON COMING DOWN TO WORK AGAIN NOW THAT YOUR SHOP IS SAFE?"

"Soon. Maybe in a couple of weeks?" Owl suggested.

"THEN I SHALL ESCORT YOU!" With that, he turns his attention upwards to look at Frisk. "LITTLE HUMAN, HAVE YOU SEEN SANS TODAY?"

They nodded. "He's working today."

"LABS, GUARD, OR ASGORE?"

Jace was watching the interactions quietly until now. She tugs on Owl's arm, eyes wide. "Yes?" Her hands sign shakily. "Labs?"

"He's a scientist, I don't know much, but he works on the core I believe."

"WAS. THESE DAYS HE JUST 'ASSISTS' AS HE CALLS IT."

"Or that."

"I HAVE NO IDEA WHY HE STOPPED GOING FULL TIME." He ponders.

Frisk goes ahead and answers the later question now that there was a lull in conversation. "He's talking to Asgore today."

"Well, that problem's solved!" Owl exclaims, clapping her hands. Jacinda fidgets with the ends of her long sleeves. "How about we go get some treats? They'll be on me!" The monster offers, trying to lift the mood. Papyrus had to excuse himself to meet with G.

So he was a scientist? Since when has there been a scientist as gentle as him? Her memory dream earlier came back clearly. The pain caused by that woman who was in charge of her transformation haunted her. Pushing the memories away, she followed Owl in silence. Frisk grasped her hand and started skipping beside her.

Jace smiles gently. Frisk's happiness was infectious. The child was like a ball of sun in her once dark world and G was the guiding path lit by them. "Come on! You'll like it. And he's just right over there!" Owl said excitedly pointing across the way to a cart with a blue bunny leaning against it. She remembered him well.

Frisk claps their hands and runs over. "Icey! Icey! Jace came back with me see!?"

The rabbit grins wider than before and ruffles Their hair. "Heya squirt. Ah, you brought the cockatoo as well?"

The rabbit grins wider than before and ruffles Their hair. "Heya squirt. Ah, you brought the cockatoo as well?"

"Yeah yeah. Anyway, how's the human? Last time I saw her she was fighting a group of nasty folk." Said human was gazing at the menu he had taped to his cart. She didn't read it before since frisk was the one to grab a couple of bars. She wasn't even able to memorize the taste.

"She's right here. I thought I might take them for some nice cream after meeting Papyrus."

"Yes she is but... I mean... never mind. G seems to have everything covered. She left in a bad shape so I'm surprised she's walking about already." Jace tugged on Owl's arm, pointing frantically at a flavor stating 'apple banana'. Her eyes sparkled with excitement and Frisk giggles beside her looking...flirty? Devious? Who knows what goes on in the kid's head sometimes.

"Alright, one apple banana, frisk what do you want?"

"Blue juice!"

"Okay so, a blue juice, apple banana, and I'll take whatever is today's special."

He hands out their ordered nicecream bars with a smile. "Have a wonderful day!" Frisk watches as Jace unwrapped her yellow treat and pokes the feathered monster, wiggling their brows. Owl pays for the food, not noticing the child trying to get her attention.

Frisk pokes owl again and points at the vibrant ginger. "What is it frisk?"

They point one more time when Jacinda started eating her golden nicecream. The kid pulls out their phone and snaps a picture. "Sending this to Sans." They giggle. Frisk sends the photo before owl could say anything and leaves to eat their own treat on a swing

"Frisk... be mature." Owl said, shaking her head sadly.

"But I am." They laugh. Jacinda turns her head, wondering what they were talking about. She had finished all of it. Their phone dings a second later. When they look at it, their smile fell. "Uh. We gotta go. G says I'm in for a bad time."

Jacinda gets grabbed by the hand just as she finished off her frozen treat. Owl waves behind them as she was dragged off. "Bye Bye!"

* * *

G sat across the goat monster, his boot clad feet propped up on the desk. "jace is in fact the killer. but everything points to the reaction being out of her control."

"So this girl you have been harboring has magic?"

"yes. initially i wasn't aware. it was after she saved frisk that i found out. she was overheating because i nightmare was triggering bursts of fire magic to course through her body. Her max HP dropped too. alphys has yet to get back to me on the reason for that."

The boss monster stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Is she a mage?"

"i don't think she is despite her abilities. i will tell you more when-" He was cut off by the loud footsteps of a metal suit. "that must be pap."

Ding.

He checks is phone and practically choked on the cigarette between his teeth. Frisk had sent him a picture of Jace. Not just any picture. Her expression was neutral while her lips were parted for a pink tongue as she licks a gold colored nicecream bar. Then came a second picture where her mouth was over. It.

"Are you alright there G?"

His face was burning so much right now. It was probably completely yellow. "i-i'm fine!" He aggressively texts the kid a warning. "frisk is needing me back so…."

"Go."

"tell paps i will swing by later."

With that he takes a shortcut back home. Thanks to that brat, he won't be able to look at her the same way for a while.


	6. Chapter 6

_Days turned to weeks and weeks became a month. Everything bled together. As her thin thirteen year old body was wrapped in a restraint jacket. If there was anything good that came from getting these powers is that no more guards came to relieve themselves._

 _They tried once. And it got her in this cold room with a ceiling sprinkler ready to drench her body if she attempts to burn through the restraints. The cells on the left and right were all transparent. Two fellow experiments that survived their last injections were kept. It was different than the solitary confinement of the first phase. Holes were drilled through the walls to allow communication._

 _It kept her sane. A younger girl was on the right. Her hair has turned completely white with a few pale blue streaks here and there. Her eyes have turned silver. She was called Windigo by the scientists. She had longer pointed ears than herself._

 _On the left was a older boy. He had the most severe changes. Patches of green scales formed on his shoulders, elbows, cheeks and forehead. His ears had three bumps on the shell. His hands and feet were webbed. His hair was a dark blue with green tips. He was called Aquarius._

 _All three of them had sharp canines and unusual colors. The three of them talked about what they could remember of the past. But it was difficult for all of them. Instead they bonded over their experiences._

 _Fiora overheard a scientist talking to himself one day. There were several other trios of kids like them. She was brought out for tests and saw the different signs above doors. Elemental 1, 2, and 3. Was what they read over her group's_

 _It became a habit of hers. To read the many signs._

 _Canine 1,2 3._

 _Feline 1, 2, 3_

 _Reptilian 1, 2, 3_

 _If only she knew what all of it meant before it was too late._

* * *

Jacinda sat at the table one Friday. Frisk is at school and G had been… ignoring her the past week. He already assured her he wasn't going to throw her away so she was confused at his sudden change in behavior. When he's gone a lot it was to visit his brother before he returns to the underground. But now that Papyrus is indeed gone, he still hasn't really spoken to her much. She frowned at him where he sat watching T.V. Becoming fed up with this, she stomps over and shoves him off the couch.

"woah! what? what?" He stared up at her with his single ring of light.

"Bored." She states.

"and?"

Rolling her eyes, she sits herself down on the couch. "We need to do something."

"we have movies."

"Watched them all."

G sat up and sighed. "okay, let me think of something." He scratched the back of his head, making a scraping noise. "how good are you at magic?"

"...It just happens…. I don't really control it."

"how about we fix that, okay kitten? you started to overheat during your nightmare. that's common with monsters. not using magic for long periods of time can strain your body especially when your emotions kick into overdrive. i know you used magic on the attackers but have you ever had a extreme fever before?"

She nodded and looked down at her hands. "A few times. I'm afraid of fire…. Especially my own." The memory of the man on the roof. Her most recent kill. A shudder shook her body but stilled when she felt his hollowed hand rub her head.

"don't let your magic control you jace. you control it just like an extra limb. c'mon. sit in front of me." She does as told and crosses her legs, looking up at him nervously.

"What if I hurt you?" She asks.

"you won't." He takes her hands and pulls them so the were in front of his chest. "concentrate on her palms and them only. visualize what you want." She stares at her palms. When she feels them warming up and immediately tried to pull them away from G. The skeleton, however, kept his grip firm but not rough. "sssh. it's ok. Relax."

Jace shook her head, her eyes screwing shut. "I can't."

"you can. think of it like this. fire can not be contained. it's warmth, light, safety in the dark. yes, it can burn people and set fires to homes but that is entirely up to you. hurt or comfort. no one else is in control of your own flame." He rubs his thumbs into her wrists gently. The fists she unknowingly made uncurl. Crescent indents were left where her nails dug into the skin.

She breathes in and bites her lip. This time she didn't flinch away when her hands got warm. She focussed on the comfort of is grip like it was her only tether to safety. A spark lights and a small flame hovers over her palms and grows to the size of an apple. She cradled it while eyeing G warily to see if he was okay.

He smiled at her and leaned in to light the cigarette in his teeth. She glares at him. "Really?"

G chuckles, shrugging his shoulders. "why not?" He looks down at the magic fireball again. "how do you feel?"

"It's… not hurting… Right? Are you hurt at all?"

"don't worry about me."

"I will worry! I… hurt so many with this…" It sputters out as her fingers tremble. Tears form in her eyes. She gets pulled into a hug and feels a hand stroke her hair.

"i know. i checked your stats already. twenty eight now right?" She has been in this city long enough to get the basic facts about monsters and what they can do. Stats is something that came with the monsters. Execution points, HP, Attack, and defense. Most importantly her level of violence. Everyone has these numbers. She can only imagine what he saw.

"No… there was more but…."

G pulled her back to look right into her eyes. "what do you mean?"

"Twenty eight lives I took myself. In the place… In the place I was before the streets. It's hard to explain it without the facts." She worries her lip with her teeth. "Just that I killed more…."

"sssh. no rush. It's okay alley cat. i once asked someone if they think the worst person could change. if they could be good if they tried. i got to know you before i saw the exp. you are good person." He presses his teeth to his forehead. The words pull a sob from her throat and she clings to his beige sweater that gains dark spots from her tears.

Jacinda sniffs and they sit together on the floor till she calmed down enough to try magic again. They continue practising for a few hours. It was lunch when they stopped. G pulled on his silly apron and started cooking up some grilled cheese. "G?" He hummed in response. "Why were you ignoring me for so long?"

The frying pan falls onto the stove with a band when he lurched forward, somehow choking on his smoke. "i had something on my mind is all. sorry if i upset you." He finishes the sandwiches and serves them up on paper plates. She bites into hers graciously.

"I love being able to eat solid foods now."

"oh yeah, you only had those supplement pills at first. it took awhile for you to 'stomach' real food." She sighs at the pun, shaking her head. "i see you stopped signing."

"Just for here...and with Owl." Jace murmurs and chews on her sandwich silently. The bird monster was easy to talk to and practically her first friend. The news on the tv was of another monster found dusted by a gang. She wonders if it was the same group she saw that day that felt so long ago.

G got a call on his phone and walks off to answer it. It must be an important number. He was very private about things. She finishes her meal before heading onto the balcony to watch the city. It wasn't much of a view but she liked the sky and seeing people going about their day. She sits down beside the echo flower which brought her to this place.

It's funny how a simple plant changed her life. Leaning towards the flower, she whispered. G comes back smiling. "want to meet another friend of mine? she's from the lab but we're not meeting there." She was about to say something when he continued. "owl told me about you getting uncomfortable when it was brought up."

She smiles faintly and followed him as he goes out the door. He holds his arms out for her to grab onto. She hides her face in his lower chest as always just as the world drops from beneath her. Once her feet touch the ground, she takes in the new sights. They were at some sort of bookstore combined with cafe.

Through the window she saw a yellow scaled lizard monster with glasses and a lab coat over a pink t-shirt that had a cartoon character on the front. The two of them went inside and walked up to the monster. "yo, alph." G waved.

"Y-y-yes h-hello! Is that h-her?! O-omg she's s-so cute! She looks like one of those characters I see in this school-life manga and that hair color is kinda like Shana from shakugan-"

"easy there doc. kitten here doesn't even know what you're talking about." He stops the rambling. It always amazes him how her vanishes when it comes to her passions. "anyway, jace? this is my friend alphys. Alphys, this is jace."

"I-I-t's so n-nice to meet y-you Jace!"

Jacinda can only nod as she collects herself, not expecting such an outburst from a scientist. She raises her hands after a moment. _"Nice to meet you too."_

"O-okay. N-now to business." Alphys gestures to the chairs across from her and they take their seats. "So? How did y-y-you two happen?" There was something sparkling in the monster's eyes that G recognized immediately. He sighs as Jace starts telling her story.

 _"It started with me seeing a monster get dusted….."_

After her half, G came in with his perspective on how frisk wanted to help her. She nodded along and smiled when he said nothing about her magic or body count. "so alph, did you find anything about dropping HP?"

She nods and digs out a notepad. "For humans, it's the same thing that happens to us. Trauma or depression will lower the max if it's really bad. Like you once." Jace looked at him in surprise.

G scratched the back of his cervical vertebrae. "yeah. souls are tricky so i wanted to make sure." His eye ring glanced to the worried human at his side. "hey, don' worry. i'm fine."

 _"How low?"_ She signs quickly. When he tries to avoid answering, she levels him with a glare.

"it's three. used to be one."

Her eyes widen at the numbers before guilt took hold of her heart. Her gaze darted to the hand she and bitten to the point of cracking. There were only grey scars now. She could have killed him with how violent she was during the nightmare! Without realizing, her breath was quickening into hyperventilation.

"hey, relax, relax. i'm okay see?" He holds her shoulders steady. "take deep breaths and calm down. can you do that alley cat?"

She nods and does as told. Alphys who was watching the whole scene recognizes a panic attack when she sees one. "W-w-what was s-she r-recalling?"

"a nightmare she had one night threw her into a fit. she attacked me while still blinded by whatever it was."

Jace nodded weakly after calming down. The slightly shorter monster clapped her hands together with a smile. "Oh! I want to show you something." She got off her chair and waved for her to follow while also signaling G to wait.

She follows Alphys to show her around the store. It was filled with only comic books. On the back was a sign labelling a hallway 'cosplay'. Alphys followed her into the room at the end to find racks upon racks of outfits. She stares at the different types of clothing ranging from swimsuits to bodies of armor.

Jace gets tossed an outfit while proceeding to be shoved into a changing room. She has been in quite a few of these as of late. She changes into the clothes she was given, just going with the flow. There was a knee length red and black plaid skirt with a black collared shirt and plaid tie of the same colors. Alphys pushed some brown shoes and striped red and black stockings underneath the door.

"T-t-try these! I think- Oh no! I ran out of break time. C-come out!" She picks up the items and her own clothes off the floor and walks out. Alphys started squealing, clapping her hands together. "We are so buying all this." She takes her clothes and puts them in a bag before hurrying to a clerk. Apparently she was wearing the outfit.

"what's with the get up alph?"

"It fits her hairstyle! Isn't it cute?"

Jace stares up at him blankly and he turns his head, hand coming to his mouth. Blowing out some smoke after taking out the cigarette. "heh. Yeah." She blinks when a fluttering feeling was felt in her stomach. As if she swallowed living butterflies and now the were tickling her insides. It was so sudden and caught her off guard. Her hand came to rub her stomach.

Her hands sign out a quick question. "Can I show Owl?"

"of course." He smirks and makes sure she had everything before grabbing her. "see ya alphys. thanks for the help." He winked before taking his shortcut to the bakery. Jacinda hurried inside to where the bird was setting out a fresh batch of pastries.

When she spotted the two of them, she gasped and flew over to hug the small woman. "Awwwwwww your so flapping cute!"

"heh. nice one"

"G!"

"What?!"

"You know that it was unintentional until I started to hang out with you!" He shrugs and Jacinda just stands there watching. Not really understanding this type of interaction very much.

"Hey Jace, why are you wearing that anyway?"

"Alphys said that this matched my recent hairstyle."

Owl laughs "That does seem like her. She's always had an affinity for that anime stuff."

"Ah-neh-may?" She sounded the word out curiously. G is almost dying as he hides his face against the wall, shoulder blades shaking under his leather jacket.

"Oh ask Alphy she'll tell you all about it" Owl said with a smirk.

"She was also insistent on making me wear these but we ran out of time." She pulled the socks that Alphys bought her. G looks and nearly chokes, excusing himself by teleporting. Face igniting in gold color. "G?"

"He'll be fine, but do you want to hear other times he's been golden like that?" She blinked at her but nodded, curiosity taking hold.

Owl nods to the seats and sits. "Well, where to start... hmm... ooh! One time, G was talking to Alphy and she was on a rant and then someone played 'Spooky Scary Skeletons' he immediately turns and Frisk is just standing there with some small rubber xylophone mallets and they just started to tap on his ribs. Well, G turned so yellow he looked like a gold bar" Owl said laughing.

She had heard that song when she was watching the child by herself one night. They were dancing around to it. "Ribs can be an instrument? How curious." Her face was completely serious.

Owl paused to think about another story then she perked up at a thought. She laughed at herself and tried to start talking but she couldn't stop laughing. "Oh-Okay here's a great one." Owl paused to compose herself, then started again. "I used to work for Muffet and the first time I saw G was when he was passing by with Frisk. Frisk, being Frisk, decided to try and get G to flirt with Muffet." Another giggle fit bubbled forth.

"The first thing Frisk said was, 'Come on Sans! I know that you love spiders! You might as well marry one!'" The bird was changing her voice to mimic the two "G just shook his head no. Them Muffet came up front and Frisk decided to get a bit frisky. 'Saaaans tell her! Do it! Do it do it do it!' Frisk was hopping up and down by now. 'ugh fine. but you'll owe me grillbys.' G had replied much to Frisks excitement. 'Yay!' 'hey muffet how about some spider legs to go with that... why frisk why... sexy spider body?' Muffet and Gs faces were priceless."

She catches her breath again. "Muffet had a face of confusion and embarrassment while G was golden. 'okay, you happy kid?' 'Very.' I couldn't stop laughing at them." Owl sighed at the end of the story. "Frisk made G do some pretty embarrassing stuff. They've got the man wrapped around their little finger."

"I sounds amusing."

"It was _very_ funny to watch. After that I had been able to tease Muffet about it for days. She was a bit fed up with it so I stopped." She looks over at Jace, smiling. "Would you like to have a drink?"

* * *

G sighs into his hand while he leans against the wall of the alley beside the shop. Of course Alphys would do that. She was a filthy shipper after all. It's obvious to himself that he liked her. It was gradual but he found her ever emerging personality to be cute.

She was still healing though. Jace has been through hell and back just like him. She was curious and easily moved by Disney movies. She likes his jokes even though she tries not to show it almost like Pap does.

He admits that he was enjoying her exploration of his bones a bit too much. Alphys picked a good outfit for her. It looked great on her frame and she pulled it off with ease. The door chimes , signalling that someone was coming out. He steps out of the alley and sees Jace looking up at the sky, looking happy and at peace.

Maybe soon he could be something more to her. But for now, he was fine helping her find herself. "let's go alley cat. looks like it's gonna rain soon. wouldn't want to get soaked now do we?"

She nods and wraps her arms around his waist.


	7. Chapter 7

_"Congratulations elementals."_

 _A voice came through the speaker as she stood with her cellmates in a round metal room. Bodies surrounded them. All young children like herself. Her hands were covered in blood and it was dripping from her fangs. She had killed them! She had killed all of them but…. she can't remember it._

 _Everything had gone black ever since they said the words. Suddenly the speaker voice speaks again._

 _"This is your stronghold. Your purpose is to defend it. You must fight to survive or the invaders will rule. Code 2. Soul survivor."_

 _She freezes up and her head turns to Windigo and Aquarius. The albino launches herself at her, clawing and scratching. Jacinda kicks her away and pins her down, hands wrapping around the tiny throat. 'Why? Why can't I control my body!?' Windigo smiles. Mouthing to words. "End it."_

 _A hot tear rolls down her cheek as takes her head into her hands. She placed a kiss on her forehead just before her hand twist her head. The snapping bones on her neck, making a sickening sound. The shattered vertebrae rips through the nerves connecting the brain, ending her life quickly. Snuffed out like a candle dumped on with water._

 _Aquarius then tackles her and the two of them wrestle and fight for the upper hand Jacinda ignites her hands in flame, knowing that the heat will dry him out. She hold him down as he thrashes beneath her. Why!? Why did they want this? She couldn't remember killing the others but...why was she allowed to witness what she was doing to her friend? Her brother!?_

 _"F-Fia….. d-d-do it." He gurgles, blood was filling his lungs from a broken rib puncturing one of them. She closes her eyes and the fire builds with her inner turmoil as he twists his neck. When he falls limp, she pulls back. She sat there, hugging the dead bodies of who were the closest thing to family. Jacinda screams out. Doctors in coats and guards with cuffs storm into the arena. She stands up and levels a glare full of burning hatred._

 _"Don't be afraid. The brainwashing made sure that she won't attack us."_

 _She watched the first guard step towards her. "The stronghold is being intruded. You killed my family. This place is not safe." She curls her hands into fists and starts running. Running right to the ENEMY._

 ** _"You will all pay!"_**

 _"You said this was safe!"_

 _"She is overriding the code! Get back hur- aaaaAAAAAH! IT BURNS!"_

 _By the end of the night. Twenty seven people were slain by her hands._

* * *

Jacinda shot up from the couch. She looked around the room and started frantically searching for danger. None. It was still late at night and she hasn't gotten the right amount of sleep. She tiptoes to the bedroom, cracking it open to see G lying there asleep. Or at least she thought he was until his glowing ring appeared.

She timidly walked over, hugging her pillow that she brought with her. "C-Can I sleep here?" She point at the floor beside the bed. To her surprise, he scooted over and lifted his covers.

"c'mon kitten. no need to be shy." She crawls into the bed and curls up, hugging the pillow. The blanket is draped over and his hand runs through her hair. "you alright?"

"Bad dream."

He nods in understanding and pulls her close. "just go to sleep kit. i'll make sure no nightmares come back."

She nods and snuggles closer. When she drifted off to sleep, G stayed awake to watch for any signs of distress. Her past is a mystery but he knew it was traumatic enough to make her mute long enough that her voice was barely there in the beginning. It's still rough and raspy now but it's a major improvement.

He traced his thumb over the three dots under her right eyes, her dark orange lashes brushing the bone. Such an exotic appearance, Must have been difficult to go unnoticed when she was living on the streets. His mind flashes back to how he found her after she fled. His teeth ground together. After getting to know this girl he felt bad about being suspicious of her. She was just a lost soul trying to survive.

G sighed and placed his thin line of teeth to her forehead before rolling onto his back. He eventually falls back to sleep. When he does wake up next, he saw that she was still there. Her face was being bathed in the morning light that was seeping through his blinds. He smirks and snaps a picture. Might as well get started on breakfast and wake the kid up. He still wondered why they didn't go live with Tori. Something about needing to do something that day everyone first came above ground.

The world has gotten a lot more dangerous and most monsters decided to stay in the mountain or have a house on it. Toriel stayed and he guessed frisk wanted to live up here. Things were going alright for him despite Papyrus choosing to protect the underground. He took up a job in the labs again like he used to. But then the accident happened. Two years in and he fixed that damn machine, only for it to malfunction.

He runs his hand down his face, feeling the scars carved into the bone as he knocked on the door. "rise and shine kiddo." He calls through the door. There was a loud groan but he knew they will be getting up. When he gets to the living room, he sees a few scattered drawings on the coffee table. He goes to pick one of them up and smiles at the image of him and Jace holding Frisk's hands. The rest of their drawings were of their other monster friends.

G sets the papers down but turns his head when he sees a corner of paper sticking out from under the couch cushion. He lifts it up to see a stack of drawings. They were all in pencil and much neater. These were her drawings. He takes them out and starts looking at them. His magic runs cold the second he sees the image.

This drawing showed three squared rooms with a child in each one. Two young girls and a older boy. They didn't look completely human. The next one showed an eerily familiar girl. She was bending back with her hands clutching her neck where a thick collar was. Her eyes were wide and the pain was so clear in the sketched out features. By the jagged lines coming out of the collar, he assumed it was shocking her.

The next one showed the same girl strapped to table as a faceless humanoid form dressed in a lab coat stabs a needle into her arm. He felt his soul contract at the sight he sees in the next drawing. The girl sat alone, surrounded by fire with tears pouring down her face. In the fire were roughly drawn silhouettes of burning people.

These….. These were memories. Jacinda has been drawing out her past. He hears the door to his room open so he quickly puts everything back. The carrot top shuffled over to him while he stood there, not sure what she was doing. She stops in front of him and looks up, giving a tired smile that made his soul do a somersault before she knocks her head against his chest before walking to Frisk who just came out. She grabs their face and then bumps forehead lightly.

She shuffles back to him and then flops down face first onto the couch. "too tired to say good morning?"

"mmhmf." Came the muffled response. He chuckles and goes to the kitchen after turning on the disney channel. G starts making breakfast, watching the kid talk with the girl as she practices lighting a candle wick. It was an exercise he came up with recently to see if she will be able to focus on creating fire on a small target. Many did not survive the first day. She kept engulfing the entire thing.

She got a lot better and is more confident in her magic not hurting any friends. Asgore was pleased to hear this of course. The old goat has pulled out of his habitual paranoia towards magic wielding humans and was actually asking if she has been doing well instead. G didn't realize he was staring at her until he saw her bright ice blue orbs meeting his sockets. He turned away to check the eggs and bacon.

Jace had turned around to see what the tingling feeling on her neck was. She didn't expect the monster to be watching her. His eyes held something deep and soft, her chest did the fluttery thing she had felt a few days before. She had yet to figure out what it was and why her face would warm up at the same time.

Frisk tugs her shirt sleeve so she looks down. "Do you like Sans?"

"Like?" Jace tilts her head. "Yes. I like him. I like you too."

"No, no, no. I mean like liiiiike him."

"I don't understand…."

They sigh and cross their arms, pouting. She didn't understand why they were upset. G finishes up making breakfast and walks over with the plates so they could eat in the living room. A show featuring a talking dog and a family was playing at the moment and it was pretty funny so far.

She nibbles on some of her food as she watched the talking dog get into trouble. Jace looks up when she feels a tap on her shoulder. "i got a fun idea for today. it's a day off for me." Fun? "have you ever heard of amusement park?"

"The place with rides."

"yep. we're going to have some fun."

"No fair!" Frisk whined and pouted at them. "But I understand if it's a date." They wink up at the tall skeleton. His face tinted gold as he shoved the kid. Jace frowned in confusion but shook her head. G leaves shortly after to take Frisk to school. It won't take long for him to return. She finds a dictionary in the bookshelves.

What was a date?

DATE  
dāt/  
noun  
1.  
the day of the month or year as specified by a number.

2.  
a social or romantic appointment or engagement.

She blinked at the second definition. Her chest fluttered again with a somewhat familiar feeling. Excitement? But what is Romance?

ro·mance  
rōˈmans,ˈrōˌmans  
noun  
1.  
a feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love. 

2.  
a quality or feeling of mystery, excitement, and remoteness from everyday life. 

Love? Excitement was indeed listed but what is this love. "What is….. love?" She flips to find that word too.

LOVE  
ləv/Submit  
noun  
1.  
an intense feeling of deep affection.  
synonym: deep affection, fondness, tenderness, warmth, intimacy, attachment, endearment

2.  
a person or thing that one loves.

"whatcha looking at kitten?" She jumped and shut the book but he caught it with his hand preventing the page to be lost. He leans over her shoulder to read. "you don't know the meaning?" He asks, sounding surprised.

"Well. I felt a fondness to a few people before. The old man… two others. All like family to me. This is hinting at something else…. Why is this word here too if it's nice?" She grits her teeth. "Intimacy,"

G sits down beside her, his face still looked a bit yellow. "why are you saying it like that?" He went quiet before turning towards her quickly and grabbing her shoulders. His expression was completely serious now. "don't tell me- jace... did something involving _that_ happen to you? be honest. you don't have to tell me details."

She took in a deep breath and looked away. Why did she feel so ashamed? Now that she thought about it, what happened back then, it made her feel dirty. "Where I was before. I guess who can call it a military base." She fidgets with the dog tag hanging from her neck. "I spent my first years alone. Some… soldiers were in charge of watching me. I first heard the word when I was seven. One of the men…. he…. he said something about being stressed and how some intimacy from a pretty princess like me would help him out. I-I learned to submit and just let it happen." She was suddenly pulled into a hug.

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Whatever facility she was from, it was ran by sick people. Who would do that to a little girl. They ruined her first experience. He understood that there was one thing a woman can give to a person that they truly trust and they took it when she had no understanding of what that meant.

Better fix this. She already likens the word with something negative. "look. love and intimacy are good things. that man was lying to you and he knows that was completely wrong okay? romantic relationships is all about consent and liking each other mutually." He stokes her hair comfortingly. She looks up at him with teary eyes which he was quick to dry.

"I… I think I understand. Um. I'm sorry if I ruined the fun day. You don't have to take me to the park if you don't want…."

"never said i was changing my mind alley cat. in fact. you deserve it."

* * *

God this was adorable. Jace found the petting zoo. He leaned against the nearby pillar while watching the girl sitting with a bunch of goats and piglets. He noticed there were a lot of couples around today. Oh. It was that holiday, huh. That means she's been with them for nearly four months now. Heh. Time sure flies.

He looked around to see a gift shop a few meters away. G walked over while Jace was busy being covered in little chicks. He looked around the small shop to see the usual items like capes, branded hats, souvenirs, and stuffed snakes. A necklace caught his eye and he leaned close to give it a good look. It was a dark black chain with a two dimensional silver diamond shaped pendant with a dragon on it. He recognizes the picture as the Skyrim emblem.

G buys the gift and asks for the boy behind the counter to put it in a bag. He walks out to return to the petting zoo. Jace was standing, looking around. When she spots him, a relieved smile spreads on her face. "hey. got you a little something." He holds up the bag.

She takes it and digs out the necklace. The icy pools of her eyes brighten. "It's so pretty….. why?"

"thought it would be a nice change. do you really want to keep that reminder on your neck all the time?" She looks down at the tag and shook her head. "let me put it on." She nod, turning around and pulling her ponytails to the front. He takes off the dog tag, putting it in his pocket. As he clasps the new necklace, he couldn't help but smile at the feel of her skin when his phalanges grazed it.

She steps away to turn and look at him. "Thank you."

"don't mention it. so, you done playing with animals?"

"Mhm." She grabs his hand to start pulling him towards the swing ride. Seeing her with this childish excitement was endearing and made him happy that he brought her here.

The swings were fun enough that she kept wanting to stay on for another go, saying it felt like she was flying. Eventually he convinced Jace to try something else since the park isn't open forever. She liked the thrilling rides the most. Roller coasters, and bumper cars were things she liked. It was hilarious to see her reaction to cotton candy disappearing in her mouth.

She avoided the waterslides and bystander splash zones as much as possible which justified that alley cat was the perfect nickname for her. The underground mine train with talking animatronics may have creeped her out and she nearly attacked everything in a haunted house. By the time the sun set, she looked pretty tired. "i want to do one last thing before we go."

Jace let him lead her by the hand to the giant wheel. She blinked sleepily after she sat down across from him. The ride moved slowly, the car rocking her to almost fall asleep. G tapped her shoulder, making her look up. He was pointing out the window. She turns to look and gasped. The sunset was lighting the clear sky up in a bright mix of yellow, orange, red, and purple. She sat on her knees and turned her body completely to gaze out of the window.

She grinned over at him. Her smile fell slightly as her chest fluttered again. He was doing that stare again. Was this... the thing the book described? Biting her lip, she averted her eyes back to the view. "jacinda." Her body tensed when he said her full name. And the way he send was making her face incredibly hot. She saw him out of the corner of her eye, crouching in front of her seat.

A smooth hand came up to her face, turning her head to look down at his ringed light. Her throat was suddenly very dry. "would you hate me if i did something?" He asks gently. Seeing her confusion and wary. Unable to form words, she signed.

 _"I can never hate you."_

He smiled, rising up to get closer to her face. He couldn't help himself. The way she was now, in the light of dusk, happy with no guards just made her look so beautiful. Judging by the blush on her face, she felt something for him too. Her eyes were wide with an innocent sparkle that didn't exist when they first met. He tilted his head up and pressed his thin line of teeth to her lips. She gives a sharp intake of air. Her cheeks darkened with red while he closed his sockets.

G pulled back, not wanting to linger to long. He stares up at her and smiles when she brought a hand up to trace her lips tentatively. "sorry…. i know you might not feel the same way about me but i like you. a lot more than i thought i would." He waits for her to say something or react badly to the kiss.

"Can… Can you do that again?" She murmurs.

"not till you tell me why."

"I-I feel warm a-around you and my chest feels funny like a b-b-butterfly is trapped inside." She hugs her knees to her chest. "I d-don't know what it is but it m-might be the same?"

He didn't need any further encouragement and he pulled her down to sit in between his legs as he kissed her again. Jace felt his teeth soften under her lips and she lets her eyes fall closed. Her hands hesitantly grip the shoulders of his leather jacket. There was a tingling feeling on her skin that she assumes was his magic. The jolt of the car stopping made her jump up. The ride was over.

She scowls when she hears the skeleton on the floor chuckle. Jace crossed her arms and turned her head to hide her burning face. When G stood, he took her hand and waved at the door man before he took her through a shortcut to the apartment. He hugs her from the back, whispering into her hair. "did you have fun?"

"Y-yeah." She bites her lip and looks up at him. That kiss felt nice before it was interrupted. "Um…." She swallows nervously. Luckily he understood what she wanted and leaned his head down. It lasted longer but she eventually needed to take a breath.

"goodnight jace." He smirked and let her go.


	8. Chapter 8

"It's hot." Jacinda whines while sitting on a park bench with G, watching Frisk play with other human and monster kids. The skeleton holds out a cigarette to her and she scowls at him. "Do it yourself."

"but it's only you who can light my fire jace." He smirks down at her.

She turns away with a huff as she stares at nothing. The summer heat beats down with unforgiving strength. These clothes are no longer good for the weather. Crop top of none, the dark colors absorb the heat and bake her body as if she was in an oven.

The ginger grumbles and stands up, holding out her hand. "Money."

"huh?"

"Money. Buy clothes."

G chuckles, digging out his wallet. "never thought you would mug someone."

"This is hardly mugging. I would know."

"...not gonna ask."

She was the one to smirk this time. She grabs the black leather pouch and walked off towards the various clothing stores. He shook his head, looking up when a shadow loomed over him. Red hair and blue skin was the only clues he needed to figure out who it was. "sup dyne?"

"Was that the girl I've been hearin' about so much?" The fish woman walked around to sit in the recently emptied spot. She wore a standard police uniform with a badge that had the royal emblem with E.P.D inscribed below. "Never thought you'd get so smitten with anyone but the shrimp. What gives?"

He lights his smoke and placed it between his teeth. "nothing."

"Don't give me that!"

"it started of as me keeping an eye on her 'cause she was suspicious and had dust i her when we first met. frisk insisted on taking her in from the street. things just happened from there."

Undyne wraps a muscular arm around his shoulder. "Ooooh? What kind of things? Hold that thought-"

"i wasn't going to-"

"Looks like she's back."

He turns his head quickly to see Jace running over. He had to take a second look when noticing what she was wearing. Her top was an off the shoulder halter top with layer of waving cloth lining the top half under a black hem with a matching color bow on the center where it has the rest of the ribbon wrapped around her neck to keep the shirt up. the bottom was tucked into the waist of a thigh length red layer skirt followed by those a new pair of white stocking with some black shoes.

That was a lot of skin showing compared to what he was used to from her. She even had her hair done differently. The upper layer was tied up and braided down the middle with a red bow decorating the base of the styled ponytail. It was too cute. Her hair sure has grown to an incredible length. The lowest tip hovered past her rump now. Snickering brought his attention back to his long term friend. He was all too aware of his hot skull and most likely gold face.

When the girl got to them, she held out his wallet. She nodded with a smile as a thank you. G composes himself quickly before taking, managing to smirk at her inability to talk in front of a stranger. "no problem alley cat. this is undyne. one of the friends i told you about that walk frisk to school."

"Yo! Heard ya got magic. Let's spar!"

Jacinda blinks once, then again. She eventually sputters while shaking her head rapidly, making that adorable bow flop- alright. Stop there. God this woman will be the death of him for sure. He hasn't ever seen her in anything this girlie before. He's taking her on a shopping spree later. No doubt about it. Maybe buy a swimsuit….. his train of thought is quickly going down a different path then he wants right now. Better stop.

"COME ON! FIGHT ME!"

He shook his head to regain focus on the issue in front of him. The brightly colored human was making a mad dash around the now evacuated park as large glowing spears of electric blue magic came flying at her. The whole time she was signing the words MERCY again and again. Her randomized zigzagging fell into something more practiced and conditioned. She flips backwards away from once projectile, grabs it, and throws it back all while in mid air.

She lands on her hands and rolls backwards before she was turned into a shishkabob. "You got moves carrot top." More spears materialized all around the pale eyed girl. She brought her arms up in a block when they shot down. Dust lifts into the air like a cloud of smoke. G worried that she got hit but relaxed once he saw the skillfully contorted form she had to bend around the weapons. "What!? How even- WOAH!" Jacinda flipped out of the blue cage to go on the offensive. Her fists were surrounded in flame as throws punches.

When a spear was directed at her back, she twisted around with a roundhouse kick that made a wall of fire rise with the motion. He saw the look on her face as she dodged and attacked. Her stance was loose and relaxed with no intent to cause harm. Above all of that, she was having fun, laughing and smiling big. The spar finally ended with Jace being pinned down.

G got up and went over to pick her up. "i think that's enough property destruction for one day fishface." He glanced at the many small craters in the earth around them. He was pretty sure a tree was missing now too. "shouldn't your break be over by now?"

"OH! Yeah you're right! See ya sparky. Let's go at it again next time." And with that, the fish monster jogged off in the direction of the station. Frisk shows up after they crawled out from a tunnel before waving farewell to an armless lizard monster.

"ready to go home kid? you look pretty tired."

They shook their head quickly. "No. I'm still-" A yawn interrupts them and they cover their mouth as their cheeks flush red.

Jacinda takes their hand and smiles. "Nap time."

"Fiiiiiiiine."

G walks on the kid's other side and allowed Frisk to grab his hand too.

The girl smiles to herself while looking at the two beside her. It reminded her of the families she used to always watch the first years with the old man. Parents walking with a child, swinging their hands back and forth with exaggerated movements. Being able to do the same lit an ember of warmth in her chest.

She had a family of her own now.

* * *

 _A man ran down grey and white hallways lit by florescent lights. The tail of his lab coat whipped around behind him. "Doctor!" He calls, slamming the door open to a room that was much darker. A figure stood there, illuminated by only a desk lamp in front of them._

 _It was woman. The right side of her head was shaved clean of pure white hair while the other hung it thick waves. Serious burns marred the same side on her lower cheek, neck, and entire arm. She wore a black tank top "Can't you see I'm busy Lawrence?"_

 _"But this is important!" He opens his laptop and pulls up the tab from the security feed sent to him. "Just look closely."_

 _The woman sits down on a stool and watches with cold brown eyes over clear spectacles. The image was a co-species park. But that isn't wat caught her attention first. It was the woman standing with two older monsters. She was thin, slender, and had unusually long hair. With the black and white footage, there wasn't much detail but it was made up with high definition._

 _She zooms in on the trio and pauses. Three dots under the right eye. She was getting a feeling on what this was about, and excitement was welling up. She zoomed out when the female monster began to charge the human girl. Once the fire appeared, the scientist broke into a maniacal string laughter._

 _"We found her!"_

 _"What do we do?"_

 _"Find the identity of that bald monster. Find where he lives. We're getting our Fiora back."_

* * *

Jacinda was bouncing on her feet excitedly as she waits for the third bag of popcorn to be finished. G was in the living room waiting for the movie be bought on paper view to be done loading. She has been waiting for the film since she saw the trailer.

"it's ready." The skeleton called right as the microwave beeped. She dumped the steaming yellow and white puffs into the large bowl she had been filling. Plopping herself down on the couch, she snuggled up to G's side and blushed when he wrapped his arm around her to lift her onto his lap. She didn't mind the feeling of sitting on bones. The edges weren't as hard as she expected them to be. G rested his chin on top of her head.

The movie starts with a story about Maoi. As the film continued, she grinned at the songs and laughed at the stupid chicken that kept popping up. She felt G's ribcage shake with his own laughter against her back. Jace teared up at the death of the grandmother. She loved seeing the vast expanse of the ocean and asked if it really was that big. "yep. the beach was only a piece of it."

Jacinda found herself singing along with some of the songs once she got the pattern in the lyrics so G turned on subtitles so she wouldn't have to guess. When the volcano monster Te Kah transformed into the goddess Te Fiti, there was a brush of smooth bone on her shoulder so she turns to look at him. he was playing with the tails of her bow. "reminds me of someone." He winks at her.

"How?"

"a misunderstood fireball that hid a gentle beauty."

"I-i'm not-" She twisted away but leaned to far back and she found herself on her back. G leaned over her, moving so his legs straddled hers. The words she wanted to say got lodged in her throat and she just couldn't say anything else as heat surfaced to her cheeks.

G cupped her face and she was unable to look away from the serious expression on his. "no. i don't want to hear any of that self hating crap. besides, this look is cute and all but none of it matters." His right hands slides down to her neck and over her collarbone until resting, palm flat against her skin, over the center of her chest. She couldn't hold back the shiver caused by his tender touches that were so soft they tickled slightly.

She furrowed her brows in confusion and glanced between him and his hand all while still laying there. It was funny how okay she was with this position they found themselves. If it had been her old self, she would have turned him to ash on reflex.

"what matters is what's inside." His single ring of light glowed yellow as he smiles. "do you know what is under here?"

Jace shook her head.

"your soul. everything that makes you who you are."

"Can I….see it?"

"you sure about that? you'll be exposed and out in the open. souls aren't just pulled out casually."

Jace placed her hand over his and nodded. "I trust you."

G took a deep breath and focused his attention back to her chest. She closed her eyes as she felt a pulling sensation. It pulled, pulled, and pulled until it stopped. There was a new feeling. She was still laying down but she felt like she was floating like she was outside of herself.

"you can look now." The monster prodded gently. She did and a gasp left her. The world around both of them was faded like a black filter was put over her eyes except the couch, each other, and the floor surrounding them was clear if not slightly shadowed. An orange glow illuminated both of their faces. The source was the heart floating an inch away from her chest.

It was like a glass container containing a inferno with how the many shades swirled inside it. There cracks along the surface though. A lot of them. She reached out and traced one of them. "It's broken."

"no it's not. you are not broken. these marks show how strong you are. you're still together aren't you? the fact you aren't crumbling is proof enough. in fact," He cupped his hands under the heart and smiled down at it with that overwhelming amount of tenderness. "you are more beautiful than i thought it would be." He rubbed his thumb over the surface. It was so light and somehow she even felt it. A tickle from the inside.

When a giggle escaped her, G looked down and smirked. "oh yeah. forgot to mention that a soul can feel things based off the intent of the holder. a soul is mostly used for, intimate purposes between monsters." At that her face flushed red and she bit her lip. He tickles her again with her soul. "i think 'my sunshine' will be a much better nickname now."

He let go of her soul and it slipped back inside. "D-do you want that?"

"hm?" He hums distractedly, still gazing at her soul like it's the most precious thing in the world. The intensity of his one eyed gaze was making her squirm. She pushed herself up to lean back on her hands to look him in the eye.

"Do you want that….Intimacy?" She mumbles, blushing darker. The idea still scared her due to past experiences. But this was G. Not the wardens of her containment cellblock. He looks at her now while still cradling the fiery heart. She tilts her head down to hide her face behind her bangs.

"well…. yeah. you're my girlfriend now but you don't have to do anything you don't want to do. i know what happened to you was bad and traumatizing. we can never do it at all if-" She got tired of him saying those things, It only validates her previous thoughts. So she acted on her impulses and grabbed the front of his sweater to press her lips to his teeth. In his shock he let go of her soul and it went back inside her chest. It worked in shutting him so she pulled back and scowled.

"I already told you once. I trust you. Yes, I think it's scary but you aren't _them_ G."

He brought his now empty hand up to cup the back of her head and kiss her a lot more gently than she had. Her eyes close while her hand continue clutching the knitted fabric. There was that tingling she felt before. She compared it to the fizz one gets on their tongue after drinking soda. With that in her head, she wondered if it would. She slipped her pink muscle out and licked the smooth surface of his warm teeth and grinned at his wide sockets. It did fizzle!

G shook his head and chuckles as he sits back. "heh. you left me a bit. tongue tied there sunshine." She crinkled her nose at the nickname. "awe. don't like it?" She sits up straight and moves to get off the couch. He had other plans. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled him into his lap. "or is it….that you like being called my little kitten more?" He whispered into her ear, voice dropping an octave.

He smirked at the shiver he felt from the ginger and nuzzled her hair. "You're mean." She grumbled. "I'm tired. Let's go to bed."

He nods and picks her up bridal style. "as you wish kitten."

* * *

Nightmares suck. G knows that from experience. It's worse when he had to watch someone go through it also sucked. And here he was, sleeping casually with Jacinda when he was awoken by her shaking and whimpers. When she shot up, he was there to embrace her.

"hey, hey. i got you. where are you right now?"

"Arena… Wendy…. I killed little Wendy…. Aqua too. I didn't want to! But I killed them. It wasn't even me…." She cries into his chest and he rubs her back.

"sssssh. you're not there. you're safe."

She calmed down and hugged him before drifting back to sleep, hopefully more at peace. His phone starts ringing and he reaches over to see who would call at such a horrible time. He looks at the screen to see his brother's ID. "hey. wassup paps?"

"B in the core. Alphys already looked into it and didn't know what to do."

"m'kay. i'll be there later with frisk. been awhile since tori saw them last."

He ends the call before calling up Owl. Hopefully she won't be too mad about it being early but she is an owl so, nocturnal? He got out of bed and walked to the living room so any screeching won't wake Jace. He holds the phone in between his shoulder while he fixed himself a mug of joe. He hears the line pick up.

"Hello this is Owl, what makes you call at this ungodly time for you?" Her voice very perky for it to be 2 am.

"hey dove. think you can do me a favor?"

"Yeah, it just better not be like the last favor I did for you…"

"what was that again?" He asks while popping his neck and taking a sip of his coffee.

"Remember when you made me go into one of the darkest places of the underground searching for more cigarettes?" A audibly shivered on the other end.

Ah yes. Smokes were rare to come by in the dump. And most were too soaked to use. "oh… heh sorry. no. if anyone is going underground, it's me and the kid. I have to fix something in the core and the Queen hasn't seen her kid in months."

"Okay, then what's the favor you need me to do?"

"house sit with alley cat. i don't want to bring her to a place that was a prison for so long. unsealed or not, there isn't much of a happy energy down there still."

"Okay, but I still have my job so I'd just be there at night and my days off. But yeah nice idea not to take her down there, she seems pretty jumpy."

"until you give some cat _nips_ that is." He mumbled the pun to himself mostly before continuing. "good enough for me. i don't want her alone. especially at night. she has night terrors like I used to."

"Cat _nips_? G, have you and Jace kissed?" Owl laughed be fore continuing, "also, night terrors as well? I can probably help her through some and if anything, I'll make her a drink to calm her nerves."

He blushed from being caught and ran a hand down his face, the bone scraping together. "um. kinda 's. yesterday too." He clipped his answers short.

"Congratulations. But don't you think Jace is gonna be worried about why you're leaving? How long do you think you'll be gone?"

"dunno. i'll leave a note." He finished his coffee and placed it in the sink.

"The least you can do is to tell her in person and then leave a note. Just wake her up, tell her, and then when she's actually awake in the morning she will find a note. Simple as that."

He snickers. "of course oh wise owl of the hollow." He dramatically states.

G heard a loud sigh over the line. "Okay. I'm a wise owl. I don't want to go to your house and have Jace bombard me with questions about where you went."

He chuckles and after a quick farewell, he hung up and walked back to the room. He leaned over the bed to shake his girlfriend. A warm giddiness swirled in his chest at the new title she bore. He grinned when she just rolls closer to him and hugs a pillow with all her limbs. After one of her eyes opened a smudge, he spoke. "hey kitten. me and frisk are going on a trip. kay?"

With a kiss to her forehead, he leaves to wake the kid.

* * *

Jace woke to knocking on the door and she crawls out of bed to get dressed quickly into her new clothes without fixing the ratty tangled mess that was her hair. She hurries to the door.

She casually remembers G saying something to her but was half asleep at the time so everything was foggy. When she opens the door, she is greeted by the feathery brown monster she has come to call her friend.

"Good morning Jace! I believe G told you that he was going on a trip with Frisk?" Realizing that was what she had forgotten, she nodded and walked to the kitchen, allowing entry to the apartment. She got to brushing her hair while turning on the TV.

"While he's out, I'll be here on my days off and when I get off work." Owl said following Jace into the kitchen. "Does G have any breakfast foods? Like eggs and bacon?" She asked going through the fridge.

"He makes breakfast every morning." She finished messing with her hair and tying it the way she had it before bed minus the bow that had somehow gone missing. Jace got the flowery apron from the pantry and tossed it at the bird.

"G wears an apron? And it's even flowers. This is something new." Owl laughed putting it on and she turned to the oven and set it to preheat. "I'm making something interesting and maybe different. It's a piece of bread, cut a hole in the middle put in eeg and the bread on top with bacon and bake it." She explained beginning to cook some bacon. When the oven beeped, she got bread and two eggs. She quickly cut out the middle and cracked the eggs into the bread and placed the bread and bacon back in and set it on a pan in the oven to cook for ten minutes. "Okay once that's done cooking you should have an awesome breakfast."

Jacinda had moved to the couch to watch the Disney channel where Peter Pan was currently playing. She was hugging her knees and glaring at Captain Hook.

"I never really liked Hook at all, but that's what Disney was going for." Owl commented sitting down next to her. "My favorite is probably the crocodile that chases Hook in the end." The girl hummed and leaned into her friend's side. A purring noise could be heard from the ginger.

"That is so cute. How can you even do that?" Owl asked Jace.

She blinks in confusion. "Do what?"

"You're purring. You know, like a cat."

"That's what it is? I just…. do it. Happens on its own."

The oven beeps behind them signaling that the food was ready. Owl stood up and grabbed a oven mitt and pulled the food out. "Eat up! I have to go after this because today's gonna be a busy day."

Jace jumps up and hurries over. She sniffed and grinned at the smell of bacon and egg. "Smells good. I'm going to be bored…." She grouches taking her serving.

"You could see if G has anything musical and try and play it. Or watch a movie, draw there's a ton of things. Or you could go out for a walk. Hang out in the park." Owl suggested taking her food. She picked up the bread and took a bite.

She ate quietly until she nothing left and smiles. "That was tasty. Thank you Owl."

"Not a problem. I better start heading out. See you after my shift!" Owl said finishing her food. She rinsed her plate off and set it in the sink. "Be safe. Don't do anything G would do!" She called while walking out the door.

Jacinda looked around for anything that she could do but found nothing. Taking the bird's word to heart, she slipped on her shoes and left the apartment to go for a walk. She stopped by the blue rabbit for nicecream as she made her way to Grillby's.

Over the month she has lived with G and Frisk, she has come to befriend the regulars at the bar. Dogaressa had her pups and they were so adorable. Triplets with white fur like their parents and different colored eyes based on magic. Two boys and one girl. Doggo was nice to her after the second visit. G said it was because she kept swaying while talking to him and that's always appreciated by the scruffy canine. Lucy, the rabbit with yellow fur, didn't like her very much for some reason.

Grillby was very helpful after telling him about her magic. He understood the troubles of emotions affecting fire elemental monsters and by extension, her. She knew what kind of essence was used to make her what she was but didn't want to bring that up. Lastly was greater dog and lesser dog. They were siblings apparently. Less is always friendly and wanted to be pet every second. Grillby had warned her that it wasn't very wise to do so in doors.

She was very fortunate to know all of them. It's about time she payed a visit to someone. The bar could wait. Jacinda went down the to the block of streets that were her domain long ago. When she found the old alley with a tattered blanket for a doorway, she stepped through it. Everything was how it was last time she came here. Old blankets for carpet and bedding.

"It has been some time since I saw you leave with him." She turned around to see the old man that raised her. She stepped towards him and wrapped her arms, thicker than the twigs he'd seen before, around him.

"Thank you. Thank you for everything."

"Y-you spoke! Oh how I was hoping to hear that voice of yours some day." He cups her cheeks in his shaky wrinkling palms. She could feel the bones beneath the tissue thin skin and muscle. The tenderness of the gesture made her smile. He was so cold. "I'm so sorry." His face warbled.

"What for father?" She asks. Suddenly a sharp pain stabbed into her neck. Her hand flies to the spot and found herself grabbing something. When she brought it to her face, through blurring vision, she recognized the dart. White and blue with yellow words scrawled onto the side.

 _Mythics-inc._

Her pale eyes widen just before everything went black as she falls to the ground. The necklace that G gifted her snapped off. It clinks against the concrete. "I'm so, so sorry dear Jace. Forgive-..."

Everything was quiet.


End file.
